Reading: Fils de l'Amour: The Mark of Athena
by Engineer4Ever
Summary: Read as the cast of PJO continue following our favorite blond ninja! Post-BOO characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Naruto**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**1: Back to Camp**

"Now what?" Percy asked and thus, Deus Ex Machina occurred.

Suddenly, a flash appeared and another book was before them.

"Hey, look!" Leo smiled, "A convenient book! Again!"

The daughter of wisdom reached out for it, "I'll go first." Annabeth said, getting Piper to pout.

"Why you?"

"Mark of Athena, duh."

"Touché."

**It was just another day in the village of Konoha. The sun was shining,**

"You're welcome!" Apollo beamed.

**the birds were singing and the Godaime Hokage was in the midst of dealing with a headache. **

"I feel for her." Dionysus sighed woefully.

**That headache was none other than one blond haired, blue-eyed demigod known as Naruto Uzumaki.**

"Typical." Annabeth sighed out, of course he would be the reason.

Percy on the other hand smirked.

**"For the last time, brat, this is non-negotiable!" Tsunade glared at the teenager dressed in an orange and black jumpsuit. "You will take your squad with you to this 'America' or I'll have your headband!"**

"Oh not this again." Apollo palmed his face.

"Oh, like she has any right at all. He's the big hero, he can do as he pleases." Aphrodite huffed.

**"But I don't need their help, er, no offense," Naruto said to his friends and teacher.**

**The white haired jonin that stood off to the side shrugged. With his foreboding job as the Rokudaime coming closer, he had no desire to be in the village but he wasn't exactly thrilled to go to a new continent either. So, Kakashi merely turned the page in his favorite orange book. "None taken."**

"…Still so cool." Hermes praised.

**"Naruto, you could get really hur-Er, you could get sic-...Sai, any thoughts?" Sakura asked the last member of their team.**

"None that you can think of." Athena scoffed.

**The pale artist tilted his head and smiled. "It seems that dickless doesn't want us to come in fear that he'll embarrass himself in front of us, again."**

"…I really hate that one." The love goddess frowned.

"I hear you, mom." Piper scowled at the pasty pale guy.

**"I-What did I say about calling me that, Sai!?" Naruto glared at the former agent of ROOT with a red face. The pale shinobi just laughed softly while Naruto crossed his arms and pouted. "Stupid nickname..."**

**"Sorry, Naruto," Sai said with a small smile. "But if we're being serious, Tsunade-sama has a good point. We could get information on this new country."**

**"And we could meet this so-called mother of yours," Sakura said with a huff. **

"Oh, she wants to go now?" the love goddess challenged.

"Well, she is your favorite color."

"Silence, Artemis."

**Naruto wasn't as forthcoming with that S-Class information as she'd thought he'd be. And if Sasuke knew anything, she had no idea because the wanderer had done as he did best and vacated himself from her sight as soon as he could.**

"Smart guy." Leo snickered, he run from this girl too.

**"Doubt it." Naruto sighed and looked to the window, where a golden eagle was perched and was in the middle of cleaning her feathers. Miu was as impatient as he was now that his few weeks away from camp had come and gone. Both had had their fun and were ready to go back to the home for Greek demigods, Camp Half-Blood.**

"Hear hear!" Jason smiled as he thought of his new home.

**"What was that, Naruto?" Sakura asked with a frown and her brow ticked in irritation.**

**Naruto scratched his cheek with his bandaged right hand and nervously laughed off the violent girl's growing temper. "Ne, nothing Sakura-chan. Just telling Miu to be patient."**

**Miu looked up at him and squawked.**

"Blaming the eagle." Zeus huffed at that, a frown forming on his face.

"Oh take it easy." Aphrodite rolled her eyes, always with the eagles.

**"Roll with it," he said and then turned back to the Hokage. "Look, Baachan, I'm telling you: I don't need any help. And if I do, I could always send a summon, right?"**

**Tsunade's honey-brown eyes glossed over slightly **

"And the charmspeak speaks~" Aphrodite smirked.

**and she blinked. "I...Suppose you're right, Naruto."**

"And it scores!" Piper pumped her fist.

**"What?" The four in the room asked. She had never conceded to Naruto's requests that quickly, it usually took a lot more from the young shinobi to get a win over the Godaime.**

"Not this time it seems." Athena stated with a smirk.

**Naruto was quick to recover. "Er, I mean, yeah! I'll be totally fine! And since I'm risking my life I deserve a raise, right?"**

"Devious, I like it!" Hermes beamed.

**"Don't get ahead of yourself, brat," Tsunade said, the glaze in her eyes gone. She sighed and rubbed her forehead.**

**Naruto clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Worth a shot."**

"I'd do it." Percy nodded.

"And that's why you get in trouble." Annabeth chided, only to get a shrug from her Seaweed Brained boyfriend.

**"Well, if you're going to go you might as well go now," Tsunade said with a frown. "Be careful, brat."**

**Naruto nodded and gave her a two-fingered salute. Miu left her perch in the window to his shoulder and he grabbed the bronze staff that leaned against the wall. He nodded to the toad that was perched on the Hokage's desk and waved to the other four shinobi. "Ja ne!"**

**With his farewell said and done, Naruto was engulfed in a cloud of smoke and left his home village. What would've taken days or months had he left by any other manner of travel, took him seconds to reappear in the center of a large camp. **

"Check those frequent flyer miles." Hermes whistled.

**The inhabitants rushed to the source of the commotion with weapons of bronze in their hands. **

"A typical greeting?" Reyna asked Nico, getting a smirking nod.

"You bet."

**Once the smoke cleared, Naruto lifted his bandaged hand up and waved. "Hi guys, I'm back!"**

**While some campers were shocked, others murmured in disappointment and they walked away, though the whispers were still audible. Naruto chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. He looked at Miu. "Think I might've made it a bit too much smoke?"**

**"It could've been less flamboyant," said a wise voice that made Naruto turn around and grin.**

"Nonsense!" Apollo huffed, his nose in the air. There was simply no such thing too much flamboyance!

**"Hey Horse-guy, how's it going?"**

**Chiron, the trainer of heroes and the Camp's stand-in Camp Director, sighed and shook his head. "Naruto...If I didn't know better I would have called you a son of Hermes or Apollo."**

**"Maybe in another life," Naruto said with a shrug. **

"Duh," Apollo smirked while Hermes had a hopeful look on his face.

**Miu nipped his ear in disapproval and he gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Miu."**

**He reached over and stroked her beak, his bandaged hand caught the attention of Chiron. "What happened to your hand?"**

"We don't like to talk about that." Hazel whispered jokingly.

**"Huh?" Naruto looked at him and then at his hand. "Oh! Right, heh, I'm so used to it. Yeah, my, uh, doctor said to bandage my arm because it's pro athletic or something."**

Poseidon snickered into his hand, trying to cover it with a cough as Athena glared heatedly at him.

**"Do you mean prosthetic?" Chiron asked, amused.**

**"Yeah, that!"**

**"I did think something was off with your arm," Chiron said. He held his hand out. "May I?"**

**"Uh, sure?" Naruto held his hand out and Chiron took it. He turned it over a few times and pushed down with his fingers. "Ow. Ow. Ow! Hey, I feel pain, man!"**

"Grow a pair." Ares scoffed, getting a frown from his girlfriend.

**"Astounding," Chiron said. "Modern human medicine is nowhere near this type of prosthetic limb. What is it made of?"**

**"The First Hokage's cells," Naruto said. **

"Because we know what that is." Frank nodded.

"Wasn't that the tree dude?" Percy asked.

Demeter smiled at that.

"I think so." Annabeth hummed and continued.

**Chiron gave him an odd look and Naruto shrugged. "What? It is."**

**"I see. What happened to it? It seemed fine while you were here," Chiron said as he released the limb.**

**Naruto rolled his wrist and shrugged. "I don't know, wasn't really paying attention to what Sakura said. Something about my chakra coil being broken."**

**"Ah," Chiron said. **

"Yeah, he wouldn't know anything about that so he can't really do anything." Nico thought with a hum.

"Since when did you get a doctor mode?" Percy asked him.

"Because shut up." Nico glared at him with a huff. Mainly because Will never stopped talking about medical stuff.

**He nodded and turned away. "I'll leave you to settle back in. Come see me after lunch tomorrow so that we may continue our lessons."**

**"You got it," Naruto said with a nod. He couldn't wait to continue his sage training. With a nod in return, Chiron trotted off back towards the Big House. Naruto grinned and looked at Miu with a smile on his face. "It's great to be back, right Miu?"**

**Miu gave a nod and he chuckled. She suddenly let out a cry and took off. Before he could ask what her deal was, he heard someone call out his name. The blond demigod just barely managed to turn in time to get hit by a tackle-hug from his sister.**

"Piper get~!"

"Shut up, Leo." Piper said, her cheeks burning. Of course she'd miss a big brother like Naruto.

**"Welcome back!" Piper said with a smile.**

**"Wow, Imouto, I wasn't gone that long," Naruto said with a chuckle. He hugged her in return and released her with a smile on his face. "Things been good?"**

**"Yeah, a few tiffs with Drew but I dealt with her." Piper gave a nonchalant shrug.**

Piper looked smug at that as her mother sighed.

**Naruto grinned. "See? Being in charge isn't so hard."**

**Piper nodded and took note of his hair. "You got your hair cut!"**

**"Yeah, my sensei said it would look better short," Naruto said with a chuckle.**

**"They were right," Piper said. **

"It does have a charm to it," Reyna commented.

**She looked her brother over and gave him a frown. "That's...A lot of orange, Naruto."**

**Naruto arched a brow. "What color is your shirt?"**

**"That doesn't-"**

**"Your argument is invalid!" Naruto smirked at what he considered a victory.**

"Athena logic." Percy grinned to Annabeth, who smirked at it.

"Pretty much."

**"It does suit him." Naruto looked past Piper to see another blond teen approach. The whiskered blond grinned wildly and offered his hand to the newcomer. The teen took it in a firm shake.**

**"Thank you, Flyboy," Naruto said. "How've you been, Jason?"**

"Pretty good." Jason shrugged, getting Thalia to shake her head.

"Haha, Jay."

The son of Jupiter just smirked.

**"Can't complain. Leo, however..." Jason rubbed the back of his neck.**

**"Wants some clones?" Naruto asked with a tinge of amusement.**

**Jason nodded. "He wants some clones."**

"Free labor!" Leo whooped.

**Piper frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "My brother isn't a mule for labor."**

"Yeah," Piper glared at Leo.

"He shacked it up with my sister, he needs to pull his weight." Leo glared at Piper.

"That was Nyssa's fault."

"Like hell, you love kids are too good looking." Leo scoffed back.

"Easy, guys." Jason sighed at them.

"Fine/Okay." They answered.

**"**_**She obviously hasn't seen you work in Konoha."**_

_**Ah, be nice, Kurama,**_** Naruto thought as he made some clones that rushed off towards Cabin Nine. Since he had awoken a few months prior, Kurama had become more vocal than ever before. He was also a bit more careful when it came Naruto's use of the biju's chakra. Naruto wasn't allowed to train for longer than thirty minutes in the full nine-tailed cloak, something that irked him immensely. It was his body, not the Biju's.**

"Assuming full control." Leo said in a robotic tone.

**"**_**Whatever, Naruto. Wake me if there's any problems."**_

_**Lazy kitsune.**_** Naruto chuckled to himself. Piper and Jason, who were in the middle of a small verbal debate over the morality of clone labor, **

"Peoples' rights!"

"Piper," Jason palmed his face.

**turned to him. The whiskered blond scratched the back of his neck. "Er, so where's Anna-baba?"**

Annabeth made a grumbling noise as all the demigods snickered at her.

**Piper snorted and Jason let out a suspiciously cough that sounded more like a small laugh. Piper nodded towards Cabin Six. "Holed up in her cabin with the others. She's been making plans since Leo announced a deadline last week."**

**"How did he announce a deadline?" Naruto asked.**

**"Well, Leo's already had your labor and while you were gone he had his siblings on overtime, all other projects on hold. He compared the two times and, after he asked Piper when you were going to come back, made an estimation," Jason said.**

"I'm super smart." Leo shrugged with no modesty whatsoever.

**"...Wow, that sounds...like math," Naruto said. He gave a look of disgust that made Piper and Jason smile. "Math sucks."**

"Amen my brother!"

"Percy," Annabeth gave him a look. But the son of Poseidon was sticking to his guns, math sucked.

**"It's not that bad," Piper said.**

**"Or that hard," Jason said.**

**"You're the beautiful brains and you're the son of a banker," Naruto said dryly to them. **

"He is not." Zeus scowled, his cabin did not look like a bank!

His brothers snickered at that.

**He smirked at their red faces. "Well, now I'm off to say hello to Anna-baba. Be back in time for lunch."**

**"Yeah, I'll tell the others to get their clothes off your bed," Piper said. She grabbed Jason's arm and led him away, the Roman demigod still a bit flustered.**

"To makeout of course."

"Mom!" Piper whined, face red as Jason was pink cheeked as well.

**Naruto waved at a camper that walked past as he made his way toward Cabin Six. He hadn't given much thought to his aunts and uncles since he left and was hopeful that they were a bit more open to Jason's presence. **

Athena sniffed at that, even if she had for now.

**And if not, then he'd just have to stop waiting and go with plan B: Knock some sense into them.**

"…That sounds like my method." Ares said, rubbing his chin in thought.

Athena blanched at that.

**"**_**I'm pretty sure that your grandmother wouldn't be too pleased with that,"**_** Kurama said.**

"I wouldn't be!"

_**Whatever, her anger at the Roman's is a bit much. It's been what? Millennia since the Romans took her statue? Forgive and forget is a phrase for a reason,**_** Naruto thought as he walked up the steps. **

"That's my thing." Hades said, making Athena grumble that she was nothing like her uncle.

_**And weren't you asleep?**_

**"**_**...zzz..."**_

**"Smartass fox..." Naruto mumbled. He stood outside of Athena's cabin and took in a breath of air. With a small exhale, his bandaged arm lifted and knocked on the door. After a moment of patience, the door opened and one of his aunts stood on the other side. Naruto grinned at her. "Hey Aunt 'Lexi!"**

**Alexi blushed lightly. He may be her nephew, but he was still hot. **

A cat call went out and Athena gave a vicious look to the innocent looking Apollo.

"Now now, Athena, not need to get your panties in a twist." Aphrodite said with a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Don't you dare." The wisdom goddess threatened.

"I haven't the faintest idea of what you are talking about."

**"Hey Naruto."**

**"Anna-b-?" Whatever he was going to ask was cut off by the sound of a throat being cleared. The two looked behind Alexi and found a teenage girl with honey-blond hair and princess curls standing there. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her eyes were steel cold.**

"That's Annabeth alright." Percy nodded affirmatively.

**"Alexi, please go help Malcolm with Plan Theta-Kai," Annabeth said as she glared at Naruto. The last thing she needed was for her cabin to recall what her nephew liked to call her.**

"So touchy, Annie."

"Quiet, Lia-chan." Annabeth shot back, getting a scowl from the hunter.

**"Right, later Naruto," Alexi said as she ducked back into the cabin.**

**"Bye!" Naruto said cheerfully before he held his arms out. "Aunt Annabeth!"**

**Annabeth continued to glare at him.**

"She mad?" Piper asked Percy.

**"...I missed you?"**

**Annabeth still glared.**

"Oh yeah." Percy nodded to Piper's question.

**Naruto started to sweat under the gaze and lowered his arms. "Uh...I'm sorry I didn't come say goodbye before I left?"**

**"Another note? Really, Naruto?" Annabeth asked.**

"Busted~!" Apollo and Hermes sang out, grinning like fools.

**Naruto rubbed his neck. "Well, things were tense and I figured it'd be better if I just left without much fuss."**

**"You caused a delay on the Argo II," Annabeth said with a frown. "And I had to deal with Nyssa's whining."**

Hephaestus and Leo grunted as one at that.

**Naruto winced. **_**Note; apologize to Nyssa.**_

_**Kurama snorted. "You're just horny."**_

_"Nothing wrong with that," Aphrodite tittered. _

_Her husband begged to differ if his look had anything to say about it. _

_**Awake again?**_** Naruto's question was met with the sound of forced snoring. He smiled apologetically. "Would it help if I said I was sorry?"**

**"You should be sorry." Annabeth glowered at him.**

**Naruto pouted at her.**

**Annabeth stood strong like a wall made of steel. **

"Iron Maiden!" Thalia bounced her head with some metal music humming from her lips.

Annabeth laughed at that one.

**"That's not going to work, Naruto."**

**"What can I do to make it up to you?" Naruto asked with a sigh. He really didn't want his aunt to be mad at him for something his ex/Friend-with-benefits did.**

Thalia made a grunting noise at the titles. Not looking pleased.

**Annabeth looked at him for a moment before she became slightly nervous and pulled him aside and away from the door. The look on her face made Naruto worried, he'd never seen anything like that that didn't involve Annabeth's missing boyfriend Percy Jackson. **

Percy gave Annabeth a half-hug, one she returned before she continued reading.

**After she double-checked that no one paid any particular attention to them, Annabeth looked at him.**

**"I saw mom," she said softly.**

"Oh, joy." The blonde whispered as Athena looked stony.

**Naruto blinked and frowned. "But didn't Zeus put the gods on lockdown?"**

**"It wasn't exactly mom, though," Annabeth said.**

**"...You've lost me," Naruto said.**

"Could you be less cryptic?" Percy asked.

"Well since you were so dense, I've learned how to be." Annabeth huffed at his lack of knowing when she started liking him.

**"**_**It's not that hard,"**_** Kurama said.**

_**Yuk it up, fuzzball!**_** Naruto looked at his aunt, still confused.**

**"I saw Minerva." Annabeth breathed out. "She...She gave me a 'gift'."**

"Not fun." Annabeth frowned.

**"...I get the feeling this isn't one of those awesome godly gifts," Naruto said. Annabeth's grimace confirmed his concern and she fished a hand into her pocket. Out came a silver drachma that had an owl on it.**

"A brilliant maneuver during such a dangerous time, Athena." Hera sniffed, getting a dirty look from the goddess.

"It worked in our favor in the end." The wisdom goddess said firmly.

**"I got a quest," she said. Annabeth's grimace turned into a sheepish look. "And my hat doesn't work anymore. We... had a spat."**

"Over her boyfriend." Aphrodite smirked, oh she loved the drama.

**Naruto stared at her. "You had a spat...With a goddess?"**

**"With a goddess," Annabeth said. Naruto's confused frown turned into a wide grin and she scowled at him. "That's not a good thing, Naruto! Ugh, you're just like him, I swear!"**

**"I'm pretty sure that's a compliment," Naruto said.**

"It is." Percy smiled as Annabeth rolled her eyes.

**Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I have to find her statue."**

**Naruto's smile died into a look of shock. "Wait, statue? Like, the Parthenon statue?"**

**"Bingo."**

**"...I'm in."**

"That was quick." Reyna commented with a blink.

"But in his character." Athena noted.

**Annabeth was taken aback by the serious look that overcame Naruto's features. "W-What?"**

**"If we get the statue back, Athena will stop with the whole anti-Roman agenda, right?" Annabeth gave him a hesitant nod, but still looked a bit unsure. Naruto nodded confidently. "Good, because this seriously has gone on for too long. Talk about a grudge held over generations."**

"I was well in my right!" Athena hissed.

"Bah," Ares waved her off, knowingly hanging it over her head for a long time until now.

**Annabeth looked a bit worried. She recalled what Minerva had thought about her idea to include the legacy on the quest. The Roman aspect of her mother said that Naruto's fatal flaw would most likely cost them the statue rather than recover it. **

"Oh now this is interesting." Aphrodite commented with eager eyes. Everyone looked curious at that.

**Annabeth couldn't even begin to wonder what his fatal flaw was, she hadn't been around him long enough to get an idea on it, and that made it an unknown variable. Annabeth hated unknown variables.**

"Big time." The blonde nodded.

**As though he sensed her unease, Naruto gave her a grin and pointed his thumb at himself. "Don't worry, Anna-baba. We can get this done no prob, Dattebayo!"**

**"...'Dattebayo'?" Annabeth asked, a smile tugged at her lips.**

**"It's a tic, comes and goes," he said with a shrug.**

"It's honestly adorable." Aphrodite cooed.

**Annabeth shook her head, the smile still in place. "You're such a dork sometimes."**

**Naruto's mouth fell into another pout. He wasn't a dork.**

"He isn't." Piper frowned, her brother was awesome.

**"**_**I beg to differ."**_

_**Go back to sleep!**_

**After he left his aunt with this new quest in mind, a clone dispelled. His destination changed from Cabin Ten to Cabin Nine's hidden bunker. The clone was not dispelled on accident and Naruto was intent to tell the pyro off for the wrench upside the head. **

Leo snickered openly, getting a few laughs as well from the others.

**And maybe meet up with Nyssa again.**

Leo quickly scowled.

**So with these two thoughts in mind, Naruto walked through the forest until he found the trail that his clones had made with their kunai. Naruto was glad he got to prepare this time. His mom's surprise was nice, but a bit annoying to be without kunai or shuriken. Now that he had his holster and his supply pouch, Naruto was more confident in case he ever had to fight another werewolf. Or cyclops. Or dragon. Or chimera. Or giant.**

**Naruto grinned. He really hoped he got to fight another giant. **

"He's crazy." Frank stated, getting nods all around.

**He'd beat them in his Nine-Tailed Fox form for sure.**

**"**_**You can only hold the transformation for ten minutes,"**_** Kurama said.**

_**They won't know that...and besides, I could practice to hold it longer if someone let my train in it!**_

**"**_**No."**_

_**Aw, but Kurama-!**_

**"**_**No! I'm still recovering and prolonged transformations would split me in half. Your body can't handle my chakra splitting."**_

_"Lame noises." Percy said in a dull tone. _

**Naruto pouted. "So not fair. Octo-pops can transform for as long as he wants..."**

**"**_**Well that's because Gyuki hasn't been split in half by Kirabi's father."**_

**"That's not dad's fault...Kind of..."**

"Kind of." Poseidon smirked to Athena, who scowled at her rival.

**Kurama snorted. **_**"Kind of, he says. Bah, you're just biased."**_

**"Whatever, we'll talk about this later," Naruto said as he walked up to a large metal door in the side of a tree barren hill. Naruto banged his bandaged fist on the door several times. "Leo! Open up! You don't hit me with a wrench!"**

"I do what I want!"

**The door's handle turned before it opened and the elfish son of Hephaestus smirked at him from the other side. "It was just a clone."**

**"We resent that!" came from the inside.**

"They have feelings too, Leo." Piper chided her friend.

Leo snorted, "You're just bias." He said while crossing his arms.

**"Yeah, you don't have to deal with them," Naruto said as he walked in. "What's up?"**

**"Only the baddest of airships to ever be created," Leo said. He led Naruto to the main workplace at the end of the bunker. Naruto gaped at the half-finished skeleton of a ship that his clones were being used to finish. It was huge!**

"That's what she said."

"Ares!" Hera glared at her snickering son.

**Leo grinned at the look on Naruto's face. "Like what you see?"**

**"That...is one big boat," Naruto said.**

**Leo nodded. "Soon enough we'll be able to sing 'I'm on a Boat' on that big boat."**

"I hate that song." Percy frowned.

Poseidon looked stunned, "I rather enjoy it."

"You would." Athena said scathing, getting a humph from her rival.

**"Still seems like someone's compensating." **

Leo blinked, "…Okay, that hurt." The boy sulked.

**A girl walked up to them and Naruto smiled at her. Her dark hair was pulled back under her red bandanna and her body glistened with sweat from hard work, giving her the look of a bronzed statue. Nyssa smiled slyly at Naruto and then looked at her counselor.**

**"Lies!" Leo glared at his sister. "What would you know!?"**

**"That I'll forever compare guys to him," Nyssa said as she pointed at the whiskered blond. **

"…Walked right into that one." Nico whistled.

"Shut up." Leo told the son of Hades blandly.

**Leo glowered and Naruto laughed sheepishly while he scratched his whiskers. Nyssa bypassed her brother and grabbed Naruto by the front of his pants. **

"Wow, bold one, Heph." Apollo whistled as Aphrodite was a giggling mess.

The smith god just groaned.

**"Catch you later, Leo. Thanks for popping that clone for me."**

**"...No! No! NOT IN MY BUNKER!" Leo chased after them to ensure they left.**

"My sanctum!" Leo cried out.

**"Isn't this a bit too fast?" Naruto asked his ex.**

**"Nope."**

**Naruto stumbled out of Cabin Nine early the next morning, his hoodie unzipped and revealed his bare chest. His fishnet armor that had previously covered him was ripped to shreds thanks to Nyssa's urgency. **

"Meow." Hermes blinked.

"Now you wonder why I go for the ones fifteen and under." Artemis dryly commented.

"That was a waste of a perfectly good shirt." The love goddess frowned. "Still, at least it was a wild ride."

Hephaestus' beard started to heat up.

**Shame, too. That was the only fishnet shirt he brought with him. Naruto ambled over to Cabin Ten and attempted to quietly open the door.**

**Unfortunately for him, one irate Piper McLean pulled the door open before he could try to sneak in. **

"Busted sucker!" Leo grinned viciously.

**She took one look at him before she sighed. "Not even one day?"**

**"Uh...She jumped me?" Naruto chuckled nervously.**

**"Like a mountain lion!"**

Everyone but the builders snickered at that.

**"Shut up, Drew!" Piper glared at the Asian girl and then turned back to her brother. "No ramen for lunch or dinner for the next week."**

"Wow," Hazel whistled, "Aim lower, Piper."

"It had to be done." The charmspeaker huffed.

**Naruto's jaw popped open. "Wha-But...**_**She**_** jumped **_**me**_**! And she wrecked my fishnet!"**

**"We can make more if you want them," Lacy said.**

**"Lacy!" Piper almost shrieked. The giggling fourteen year old should not know let alone consider making that article of clothing. Piper had heard of fishnet before and it was borderline X-rated clothing in her opinion.**

"Not really." Aphrodite affirmed.

"Mom, strippers wear them!"

"So?"

"…Ugh." Piper messaged her temples.

**Naruto pouted. "But ninja wear it to protect their bodies. It's legitimate shinobi gear."**

**"No!" Piper frowned at her brother. "Just get a camp shirt and get dressed...and for mom's sake take a shower."**

"You smell of the glorious morning after."

"Apollo!" Artemis glared intensely at him.

"What? It does."

**The others in the cabin giggled or snickered while Naruto walked in with his head hung.**

**"**_**Shame on you, Naruto. For shame."**_

_**Oh, shut up Kurama!**_** As he walked into the bathroom, Naruto heard Drew say, "You're just jealous you haven't gotten Grace yet."**

Jason's face turned scarlet as Piper choked on air.

Thalia glared at them, "You better not have." She said sternly.

"Thalia!" Jason shouted in protest at her even thinking that!

**Piper sputtered for a moment before she elegantly put their sister in her place: "Shut up, Drew!"**

"Nice one, Piper." Annabeth giggled, getting a pout from the daughter of love.

"Oh shut up."

**"Ooo, I bet Jason would look good in a fishnet shirt," Lacy said. **

"Traitors!" Piper cried out, red faced. Her head felt light at even thinking of Jason wearing something, something so gothic!

**Naruto snickered at the thought and he outright laughed at Piper's reaction.**

**"LACY!"**

**A few weeks passed. Naruto had his clones spread far and wide throughout the camp and he focused his attention on the camp's new addiction. It was something that all of the campers were preparing for, despite the preparation for the next journey aboard Leo's ship. There was a competition coming up and Naruto was determined to rank at least in the top five. Or he was going to go for it all.**

**He was going to be Camp Half Blood's Pokémon Champion.**

"…I missed that?!" Percy gaped.

"Oh yeah, the Pearl and Diamond fad." Piper rubbed her chin.

"Who won?" Frank asked.

"Heh," Annabeth smiled as her mother looked proud.

"…I so saw that coming." Hazel said, even though she only had a little idea of what Pokémon was.

"I can't believe I missed it!" Percy gripped and glared at Hera.

The Queen of Heaven just ignored him.

**"**_**Use the Fire Stone already! He has six tails! The slug's number! If he bears my name, he should have nine!"**_

_"Backseat gaming, I hate that man." Leo frowned, totally threw off his mojo. _

_**Shut up, Poke-Kurama is only at level twenty. If we use the Fire Stone on him now, he won't learn any good moves.**_** Naruto thought as his thumb tapped the A button on his Gameboy DS. **

"Downside to the stones." Annabeth nodded sternly. Sure, the stat boost for leveling was good for early evolution, but it killed you in the long run with the loss of the more powerful moves.

**The whiskered blond was enamored with the game as soon as Annabeth finished explaining it to him. He had six clones read copies of the walkthrough of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the latter of which was his chosen game, at the same time for three days until he had it ingrained in his head. **

"Wow, he so got that from the family." Percy whistled as Annabeth perked up at that.

**Then once he started to play, he completely scrapped strategy and went with what he felt was right. **

"What?" the wisdom goddess frowned.

**And he was rewarded greatly...**

"…Well if it worked." Athena cleared her throat.

**"**_**Just go to the move teacher then! Or use a technical machine!"**_

_**Those cost heart scales! And I don't have the right ones yet!**_** Naruto leaned back against the roof of his mother's cabin and switched Kurama, his shiny Vulpix – a very, **_**very**_** rare occurrence in the games that had some wonder if he hacked his game **

"I don't think he has the skills for that." Annabeth stated.

– **out for Miu, his level thirty one Staraptor, to take on an in-game trainer's Roselia. **_**Besides, the first-entry-EXP. Machine-swap is sure to level him up faster than having him face weaker wild Pokémon over and over again.**_

**"**_**Just evolve him soon! And tell me again why you named that primate after the village?"**_

**Naruto rolled his eyes. "I named my Chimchar Kono after **_**Konohamaru**_**, Kurama."**

"Ah, the little monkey, poetic." Athena mused.

**"**_**Whatever. Just evolve the kit dammit."**_

_**...You're a bit too eager for this, Kurama.**_

**"**_**I am not!"**_

_"He so wishes he could play." Nico smirked, getting a few laughs. _

_**Sure...**_** Naruto grinned at the bottom of his DS went white. **_**Hey! Check it out, Kisame is evolving. Soon I'll have a Garchomp to take on Jason's Dragonite.**_

_"Wow, go Jason." Leo smirked at him._

_"I try." The blond smiled back. _

**Kurama snorted. **_**"Anything could beat that dumb dragon."**_

_**Hey, Flyboy worked hard to get his Dratini and level it up. Not his fault it looks silly. Besides, it's orange!**_** Naruto grinned. That always made up for any faults.**

"Of course." Piper shook her head in amusement.

**"**_**Ugh, I don't know why I bother,"**_** Kurama said.**

**"Naruto!"**

**Naruto looked away from his game down to where Piper stood. "What?"**

**"You need to do your chores! It's your turn to do the trash!"**

"Clone labor!"

"No, he has to do it himself." Piper huffed at Leo.

**"...Okay!" Naruto said. He made a clone and handed the Gameboy over. "Here, she'll know if I send you. **

"See?" Piper smiled.

"Yeah yeah, Beauty Queen." Leo waved her off.

**Don't fuck up."**

**"Duh," the clone said as it began to play the same way he did.**

**Naruto dropped down and turned around to yell back up. "And **_**don't**_** evolve Kurama!"**

**"I **_**know**_** Boss!"**

**Content, Naruto went into the cabin and collected the trash with ease. He also took a moment to stop a fight between a few of his sisters who were debating who would be the best coordinator if the game were based on reality. **

"Of course they would." Piper hung her head as Aphrodite looked greatly interested in that debate.

**Once he had finished his chores and helped give a few tips to some of his siblings that were stuck, Naruto returned to the roof.**

**"Swapped out Kono for Hokage," the clone said.**

**"I was going to take on the Elite Four again," Naruto said with a nod of approval. His Gyarados was a big time requirement to do that. "Any level ups?"**

"That's so unfair." Leo pouted, that was like the best thing having a clone could do. Play the games while you are busy and level up for you.

**"Kisame got another level and I ditched sandstorm for slash. We could always go to the memory move guy and get it back."**

**"Or get another ground Pokémon," Naruto said with another nod.**

**"That too," the clone said. It dispelled and Naruto settled back on the roof to relax and play.**

**Despite all of his time spent on the game, Naruto got beat by Piper in the semi-finals. **

Piper nodded, while her dad was always busy, she acquired mad gamer skills over the years.

**Annabeth, who had beaten Jason's Pokémon, and Piper duked it out for the championship title. It was close, but eventually the strategist came out on top as her well timed use of potions, often abandoned once other more efficient forms of healing were available, helped Annabeth survive Piper's monstrous legion of Pseudo-Legendaries.**

"You can't use items during linked battles!" Piper cried out as Annabeth smirked.

"Heh."

"Cheater!"

"Strategy, McLean. Live with it." The blonde said smugly, getting the daughter of love to fume and pout.

**Every member of camp had a blast during the tournament, well, everyone save for Leo. The mechanic hacked his game and gave himself a full team of fully leveled up Mewtwo. **

"Hehe."

"And this is why you couldn't play." Jason told his best friend.

"Shut up, man." Leo pouted.

**Chiron had banned him and the rest of the campers agreed with the decision with no questions asked. Leo chose to believe that the rest of the campers were just afraid of his Team Badass.**

"Damn right, you all just scared!" the son of fire huffed. He would so own them all. It was a no brainer.

**It was June Nineteenth.**

**Naruto rolled his storage scroll up and tucked it into a hidden pocket in his jacket. He stepped out of his cabin and began his trek to Bunker Nine. It had taken two more months, but with his extra clones, Leo's estimated date of completion came earlier than anyone expected. And despite Chiron's protests to wait another day, the group was eager to head out.**

"You should really listen to Chiron." Apollo frowned.

"And you might come earlier." Percy frowned, "During the battle even."

"That's good." Leo nodded.

"Terminus might shoot you down as a threat." Frank stated.

"That's bad." Leo shook his head.

**"Are you sure you want to go?" Drew asked as she caught up to him. She had changed over the course of the past few months, slightly anyway. She knew not to use charmspeak on her siblings or she'd face the wrath of Piper and Naruto.**

"Miracles do happen." Piper breathed out, getting a few snickers all around.

"She was a tad annoying." Reyna commented.

"You should have met her on day one." Annabeth groaned, total drama queen.

**"And miss out on meeting this Percy Jackson guy? No way," Naruto said with a grin. He'd been waiting months to meet the guy, any longer and he'd go crazy with his imagination. **

"Like him so much more." Percy smiled, making Annabeth shake her head at him.

**Like he had when he thought about what was under Kakashi's mask. Still, it would've been funny to see giant beaver teeth on his sensei's face.**

**"All right...I'll help Lacy keep the others in line," Drew said. "And I'll set up some more blind dates for you."**

"Oh ho! What's this?" the love goddess smiled.

Piper groaned, great.

**"Funny." Naruto chuckled. He patted his younger sister on the shoulder. "Don't do anything you'll regret, Drew."**

**"Same to you, Naruto," Drew said coyly as she turned to go to the Big House. "Don't woo any Romans!"**

"Now that's foreshadowing." Jason laughed, he could see some in the legion falling for Naruto's looks at first glance. They were teenagers after all.

**Naruto frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"**

"Yeah for dense playboy type!"

"Mom, stop saying that. Please!"

"I only say it because it's true, dear."

**With a shrug, Naruto resumed his journey until he made it to his destination in the forest. Miu swooped down and landed on his shoulder just as he made it to the bunker's hidden door. With a chuckle and a tap on the eagle's beak, Naruto entered what Leo called his sanctuary.**

**"Hey guys!" He said as he walked in. The other Neos Argonauts looked up and greeted him in return.**

**"Naruto, did you pick a room?" Annabeth asked.**

**Naruto grinned. "You know it. And got it custom painted."**

**"Orange?"**

**"Duh."**

"What other color would he pick?" Nico asked rhetorically.

"Blue."

"…Percy that was a rhetorical question."

"And I gave a rhetorical answer."

"I, you, ow my head." Nico claimed, cradling his forehead as Percy grinned.

**Annabeth shook her head and Piper palmed her face. Jason chuckled as he looked at the calendar. "I just realized we should arrive before or on the Feast of Fortuna."**

**"Feast?" Naruto asked. A grin came to his face. "That's a lot of food...and free."**

"Someone's got the munches." Leo sniggered.

**"That's if they let us land, Naruto," Annabeth said. The blond waved her off.**

**"You worry too much, Anna-baba."**

**Annabeth glared at him with a dust of pink on her cheeks.**

**"And you don't worry enough blondie." Naruto turned around to glare at the satyr that stood behind him.**

**"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked irritably and Miu hissed at the satyr.**

**Coach Hedge grinned. "I'm chaperoning."**

"That was fun," Percy said sarcastically and moved closer to Annabeth, "I mean, we couldn't even makeout enough on the ship."

"Percy." Annabeth hissed with pink cheeks. Not so loud you Seaweed Brain!

**Naruto blinked. "What?"**

**"See, last time a few kids went on a trip a certain blond shacked up with a girl rather obviously," Hedge said with a chuckle. **

"Busted~" Leo sang out with glee, haha blondie!

**Piper and Annabeth frowned while Naruto flushed lightly and Jason rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I'm here to make sure that we stay in our own rooms with our clothes on."**

**"...What, you think I'm going to sleep with my sister or my aunt?" Naruto asked. Piper and Annabeth's faces turned red and they glared at Naruto while Jason shook his head.**

"Oh, nice counter!" Hermes laughed as the girls in question turned as red as their counterparts.

"I see nothing wrong with it." Aphrodite shrugged.

"I do." Athena frowned at her along with the boyfriends of the girls.

"Meh."

**"It's possible...Greeks are known for it," Hedge said.**

**"Weird. The only people I knew like that were the Hyuuga," Naruto said. He shrugged. "Whatever. Are we ready to go?"**

**The question was directed at Leo, who was very amused at the whole conversation. The son of Hephaestus grinned and pulled out a set of car keys. He hit a button and after a chirp, a ladder lowered. "Does this answer your question?"**

"Yeah, my ride be pimpin'!"

"Leo Valdez." Hestia frowned at his wording.

"Sorry."

"So, who's next?" Annabeth asked, cheeks still a bit pink.

"I got this one," Jason said, graciously.

* * *

**There you go, the next chapter will be out next Friday since SOM is done. Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Naruto**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**2: The Talking Statue**

"Oh boy," Jason grimaced at the title alone and started reading.

**"This is more like it!" Naruto grinned as he reclined on his roll-out bed and took in the color of his room. They had taken off a few hours ago and, once he was content that they were on route, Naruto decided to check out his digs. He found his room set up next to Leo's and far from his aunt and sister. As he had requested, the walls were orange, the same shade as his jacket, and his mother could do nothing to change it. **

"Oh pooh." Aphrodite frowned.

**There was only a rollout mattress and a desk for him to write at. Aside from the perch for Miu placed near a widow he could open, his room was rather plain. Well, except for the pinup that hung on the wall. Naruto tilted his head in thought as he stared at the bodacious woman captured before him as she ran across the beach in a red swimsuit.**

"Nice taste." Apollo nodded, as the gods loved the image. Along with the young male demigods.

"Best reason to go to the beach." Poseidon smirked.

"Who put that in there?" Piper frowned.

Annabeth glanced at the whistling Leo, "You would so do that."

"Oh yeah." The Latino grinned.

**"Who the hell is Pamela Anderson?" he asked Miu, only for the eagle to tilt her head in response. With a shrug he got up from his spot and went to the poster. "Sorry Ms. Anderson, but I'm not into blondes."**

"…He is no way straight!" Apollo cried out, Pamela!

"Nothing wrong with that." Aphrodite shrugged, "So he doesn't like blondes."

"Dite," Ares spoke softly, "Pamela Anderson."

The love goddess looked indifferent.

**The poster came down and was crumpled up into a tight ball. The ball was tossed into the wastebasket from where he stood and Naruto pumped his fist. "Yes!"**

"He is evil." Leo hissed, getting nods from the gods along with silent agreements from his guy friends.

**His fun was interrupted by a knock that came from the door. Naruto answered the knock and poked his head out. As he looked around, an insistent thud made him look down. Naruto felt his eyebrow shoot up as he looked down at the three-legged table that stood before him.**

"Buford!" Leo grinned wildly, he loved his table.

**"Uh, what's up Buford?" Naruto asked. His experience with the table that Leo had rescued was limited, all of his clones a bit unnerved by the sentient furniture that assisted the head engineer. Naruto wasn't going to lie, that thing was downright weird.**

"Hey, leave the lacquered wood out of this!" Leo exclaimed.

**And this came from a ninja that had a demon sealed in his gut and fought a deity along with legions of undead shinobi made by plant-men her son had created.**

"…I got nothing to say to that." Percy admitted, that was just weird.

"Totally." Nico nodded.

**The table shuffled on two of its legs and let some steam out. Finally it pointed towards the deck and Naruto snapped his fingers in understanding. "Oh! Leo wants me, right?"**

**Buford stomped its feet and Naruto decided to take it as a yes. "Okay. Tell him I'll be there in a second."**

"Ah, table communication." Apollo rubbed his chin. That gave him a few ideas…

**The three-legged assistant galloped back to the front of the ship and Naruto scratched the side of his head in thought. "And I thought some of the summons I've met were weird. Oh well, c'mon Miu. Leo wants us back on the deck."**

**The eagle looked at him blankly before she shuffled and looked out the window. With a lopsided smile, Naruto shook his head. "Alright, fine. If you want to stay in here, feel free. But I might stop in the kitchen on the way back and grab a snack..."**

**Miu was quick to return to his shoulder and he laughed. He poked her in the stomach, which made her nip at his finger, before he stroked her beak. "You're a little glutton, aren't you?"**

"Hm, I wonder why." Hades mused, glancing at Zeus. The lightning god soon glared at him.

**"**_**Says the Insatiable Ramen Inhaler."**_

"Burn from foxy." Leo grinned.

**"Shut up, Kurama," Naruto said with a pout. The blond son of Aphrodite slipped his hands into his jacket's pockets and sulked to the deck where his friend awaited him. With a sigh he looked up just in time to catch Piper come out of her own room. A smile replaced his frown. "Hey Imouto."**

**Piper turned and smiled at her brother. "Hey Naruto, how's it going?"**

**"Meh, it could be better. I could have a never ending supply of ramen and my bunk at camp could be surrounded by orange," Naruto said. He glowered at her snicker. "Oh yeah, yuk it up. Anti-ramen evil imouto..."**

"Piper, Queen of Evil…I like it."

"Shut up, Leo."

**"You deserved it," Piper said as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I only pray that Camp Jupiter doesn't have a supply otherwise you may never leave."**

"Well…" Reyna trailed off with a laugh, they did have takeout after all.

**"**_**That is a legitimate concern."**_

_**Shut it.**_** Naruto ignored the Biju's snicker and pouted at his sister. "What? Are you afraid that I would leave the camp for a bunch of ramen? That's hurtful, Imouto."**

**"It's a legitimate concern, you worship those noodles like they themselves are gods," Piper said with a snort.**

"The Noddle God!" Hermes gasped.

"All worship his majesty!" Apollo herald.

Zeus gave them dry looks at that. He was not amused.

**Naruto frowned. "It's the food of the gods!"**

**"Uh, Naruto, what god or goddess eats noodles?" Piper asked.**

**"Inari Ōkami," he said with a smirk. Piper frowned at him.**

**"That's not-"**

**"Our mother is Aphrodite, if she exists, then who knows what else exists."**

"True." Percy nodded as the gods looked the other way at this, finding the floor or ceiling very interesting.

**Piper narrowed her eyes. "Touché."**

**Naruto grinned. "Point for me."**

**"...Be careful who you say that to," Piper said with a frown. She didn't want her brother to get smote because he had to be right about his precious noodles.**

"The noodles cannot be silence!" Hazel declared, getting laughs all around.

**"Ah, I'm sure Demeter would back me up," Naruto said with a shrug. "At least, I think she would. Kendra did."**

"Oh?" Demeter blinked.

**Piper's eye twitched. "Kendra only did that so she could get in your pants."**

Demeter gaped at that while Hades was in stiches.

"Oh my, it certainly says something. Does it not, sister?"

"Be silent, Hades!" the wheat goddess fumed, the reed of corn in her hair popping popcorn.

**"...Well, it worked."**

**Piper closed her eyes and let out a breath as she thought about the few girls that Naruto had dated between the time of his return and their departure. **

Aphrodite clapped and giggled, "Oh, oh, details!" she demanded.

**Kendra was one of the 'nicer' ones, who didn't go around and gloat like she had captured the flag from Athena's cabin. **

Athena pursed her lips at that. Her legacy was a trophy for girls now? That certainly wouldn't do.

**Piper wouldn't have minded her if she hadn't started to brag about the sex after they had broken up.**

Hades just sent his amusement to his wheat headed sister as she fumbled for words.

**Admittedly, it was better than the daughter of Apollo that Naruto had dated for a few weeks just before the Pokémon tournament. **

A disgruntle noise came from Apollo's throat.

**Piper ground her teeth together and felt her eye twitch at even the thought of Isse. **

"Naming a daughter after one of your past flames?" Artemis asked her twin, who shrugged.

"It happens."

**That girl had made it obvious that she wanted Naruto for the sex alone, but once she got what she wanted, she couldn't get enough. **

Eyes turned to Apollo, who had a twitch in his eye.

**It was a wonderful day in camp when Naruto returned to the cabin, a bit irritated and down, after he had dumped her. Of course, Piper didn't stop giving her smug looks for the day, but that was icing on the cake.**

"Amen my sister." Piper nodded, take that you hussy!

**And if that wasn't enough, the other girls in camp continued to dry hump him with their eyes even when he was in a relationship. **

Aphrodite just looked smug as the gods were grumbling a bit at that.

**It drove Piper into a rage, and she nearly bit off Drew's head when the girl tried to make light of Naruto being turned into a sex god. **

"Ha!" Apollo laughed, "When he's got a few centuries under his belt. Maybe." He scoffed as the toher gods agreed with him readily.

"Pigs." Athena wrinkled her nose.

Aphrodite on the other hand was rubbing her chin.

**She may have overreacted to that, but still, Naruto was like a puppy. He was so eager to please and innocent, that it seemed wrong for him to be in a relationship with some of the girls at camp. **

"A big puppy." Leo commented, getting a slap from Piper.

**He needed the right girl to look after him. Piper would usually vent and give her opinions to Annabeth, and it was nice to know that she agreed. It was just hard to find the right girl.**

"I wonder who he does end up with." Reyna said with curiosity.

"Hopefully someone who can keep him grounded." Annabeth commented.

**"Piper? Hello?" Piper blinked as Naruto waved his hand in her face. "You there?"**

**"Sorry, I was just thinking about something," Piper said with a sheepish smile.**

**Naruto blinked. "About what?"**

**"Um..." Piper hesitated for a second. "What we'll encounter at Camp Jupiter?"**

"Bad things." Leo said, remembering how that went for them. He didn't see it being any different.

**"Oh! Yeah, I can't wait. I wonder what they act like," Naruto said with a grin. "I bet their capture the flag is really fun."**

"Oh, it's fun." Percy nodded, he liked taking over a fortress.

**"That's if they play capture the flag," Piper said. She rubbed her arm. "I trust Jason, but still...Annabeth had been in camp for most of her life and she'd never heard of Camp Jupiter until he brought it up."**

"Because you weren't supposed to know." Zeus rumbled.

**"You're worried about what could happen?" Naruto asked as his head tilted slightly. Piper nodded and stumbled forward when Naruto clapped a hand on her back. She glowered at him for his stupid ninja strength – seriously, she might've bruised from that – **

"Doesn't know his own strength." Frank mused.

**but he just laughed merrily, unaware of his accidental overpowered pat. Naruto gave her a reassuring grin and pointed his thumb at himself. "Don't worry about it, Imouto. If anything goes wrong, I'll take care of it. Besides, I'm sure things will be fine. We're just going to talk...Well, Anna-baba is anyway."**

"And enter Murphy!" Percy threw his arms in the air.

"Dude, we know the outcome." Jason pointed out.

"…Still!"

**Piper let out another snort at the nickname he had given Annabeth. "I'm sure she will. And give Percy hell for his disappearing act."**

"You mean makeout with him? Sure." Piper nodded, getting a flush from the couple.

**Naruto laughed again. "Yeah, that'll be fun. Well, I should get back to the deck. Leo sent his table for me a while ago. Later, Imouto."**

**"Later Naruto," Piper said as he walked away. She reached behind her and rubbed her back. "Ow...Seriously, he needs to watch his strength."**

**Naruto walked onto the deck and joined Leo where he steered in the protected room. The different machines used to create the 'control center' were a bit too much for Naruto to wrap his head around, so he just ignored most of them and focused on the engineer. Leo stood in a solitary place and steered with two white controls from something called a 'Wii'. The son of Hephaestus' eyes moved from one screen to the next and occasionally looked out the windows. Next to him, Buford steamed and had began to make some sort of hot drink for Leo.**

"Yeah, I'm boss like that." Leo nodded to himself. The others gave small laughs at his 'mad skills'.

**"Uh, you called?" Naruto asked while Miu flew over to Buford and investigated the concoction that was being created. The table used a thin arm to lightly flick the eagle on the beak, which got a squawk from the eagle. She then pecked the wood table in retaliation.**

"Villainous feathered fiend!" Leo gasped out.

**"Yes. First, tell your bird to get off Buford," he said. Naruto rolled his eyes and called Miu back to his side. The eagle glared at the table, which waved another thin arm in anger and steamed heatedly. **

"This means war." Ares said, punching his palm.

"You're just looking for an excuse." Athena rolled her eyes.

"Duh."

**Leo chuckled and hooked the remotes onto the controls. "Second, I wanted to ask you for some advice."**

**"...Me?" Naruto asked with a frown. "Advice about what?"**

**Leo rubbed his neck. "Look, I don't want this to get to Jason, so promise to keep quiet?"**

**"Sure," Naruto said with a shrug. He could keep secrets when it called for it.**

**"Okay, so, you know how the Romans and Greeks weren't buddy-buddy back in the day, right?" Leo asked.**

"Duh." Everyone said.

**Naruto snorted. "That's an understatement. I'm pretty sure if she could, my grandmother would have bounties on the Romans' heads."**

"I would," Athena said with no shame.

**"Yeah, exactly. So...what should I prepare in case the worst was to happen?" Leo asked.**

**Naruto blinked. "What?"**

**"Like, should I prep some heavy artillery or some air to ground missiles? I could whip some up in a second with all the spare stuff I have in my room," Leo said.**

Everyone one looked at Leo, who shrugged, "What?" he asked.

"I am liking this one." Ares commented.

**"Wait, why are you asking me about this?" Naruto asked. "Anna-baba would be a better person to talk to, right?"**

**Leo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and listen to her prattle on about getting Percy first? No thanks."**

"It was annoying." Leo nodded, getting a glare from Annabeth.

**Naruto conceded to that. **

"Hey!"

**"Okay, but why not Jason?"**

**"Jason would either brush off my concerns or freak out, and I don't want either of those," Leo said. "I'm a realist, I wanna be ready for anything."**

"Very wise, Leo Valdez." Athena nodded.

Leo, grinning, elbowed Piper eagerly, "Hear that, I'm wise."

Piper just rolled her eyes.

**"So you decided to ask me?" Naruto frowned.**

**"You've been in legit war, dude," Leo said softly. **

"Hey," Percy frowned.

Ares scoffed at his mortal rival, "Firebug's right."

**"Not against monsters or titans, but other humans. Ninjas even...I don't know about you, but monsters aren't as scary as humans who can control elements at their whim...that aren't demigods."**

"…He's got a point." Annabeth pursed her lips. Give her monsters any day compared to Naruto's people.

**"True," Naruto said with a hum. He had demonstrated to Chiron and few others his wind techniques on a Hellhound when they asked why he had gotten to go. Needless to say, when they saw the effects of the Rasenshuriken first-hand, they had to agree that Naruto would be a reliable asset on the mission. **

"As a WMD." Ares grinned ruthlessly.

Athena had to give a nod to that one. Her legacy was deadly without a doubt.

**Naruto scratched his cheek. "Well, the last thing we want to do is start an actual war, so non-lethal weapons would be the best. Some kind of smoke missile or something."**

"Boo," Ares jeered, making Frank palm his face.

**"Yeah, but, let's just say they manage to kill one of you guys," Leo said. Naruto gave him a look and he shrugged. "It could happen."**

The Seven looked awkward at that.

**"Well...I guess you could go for shock and awe," Naruto said. He scratched his chin. "A big explosion or something in a non-populated area."**

**"Scare tactics?"**

"Smart." Annabeth nodded, getting unpleased looks from her Roman friends. "I said it was smart, not correct."

**"Exactly. We show them we can make shit go boom and they don't mess with us...hopefully," Naruto said. He hummed and cupped his chin. "I mean, absolute worse case scenario I go all out...but I **_**really**_** don't want to destroy a whole camp...I'd be a hypocrite if I did."**

"Please don't." Reyna said dryly.

**"**_**I'm sure your grandmother would love it,"**_** Kurama said.**

Athena nodded. Perhaps before the rift was mended. Even though she still felt a prickle of anger at the Romans.

_**No duh, but I'm not going to give her the satisfaction,**_** Naruto thought in return.**

Athena frowned (pouted) at this.

**Leo nodded in agreement. "You've got a heck of an evil mind, ninja boy. Must come from Athena."**

"Big time," the Olympians said as a unit, getting the wisdom goddess to huff.

**"Hey..." Naruto frowned.**

**"Just saying," Leo said. He turned back to the controls and returned to steer. "Alright, I'm going to think this over. Thanks for your help."**

**"Am I dismissed, Captain?" Naruto asked, amused.**

**"Begone, peon," Leo said with a wave of his hand. Naruto gave him a mock salute and walked out back to his room.**

"Yes, let Captain Awesome prepare the doom ray." Leo cackled evilly.

The others just gave him some strange looks.

**Miu flapped her wings a bit and Naruto stretched his arms in front of him. "I hear you, it's a bit cramped on this boat."**

**The blond looked up at the tallest mast and then looked at Miu with a grin. "Bet I could make it to the top before you."**

**Miu's eye narrowed and she took off from his shoulder, which made Naruto squawk indignantly before he raced vertically off after her. "Hey, I didn't say go yet!"**

"Typical." Poseidon rolled his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zeus frowned.

Poseidon just smirked at his little brother.

**"Cheater," Naruto said with a pout to his smug avian friend. Miu had beaten him to the top three times, which shouldn't have been possible considering the strong winds behind them. It wasn't until Leo chased them off the deck did Naruto give up at his attempts to beat her.**

**Miu crooned at him and Naruto crossed his arms. "My ass you're faster than me! I beat the Raikage in a race and he's literally the fastest human alive thanks to his lightning armor!"**

"Lightning armor," Thalia thought, rubbing her chin. She liked the sound of that.

**Miu cawed at him and Naruto stuck his tongue out at her. "I am not a sore loser!"**

**The eagle just stared at him until Naruto turned away from her with a pout. "Shut up, Miu."**

**"Naruto, we've talked about arguing with yourself." Naruto frowned at the blond girl that leaned against his door with her arms crossed. Annabeth had an amused smile on her face and was dressed in jeans, the camp shirt and a jacket made from the same material of her jeans.**

Percy smiled at the image, liking it a lot.

**"She started it," he said with a finger pointed at the eagle. Miu nipped at his appendage and Naruto frowned at her. "You did! Gluttonous gloater. I should've beaten you easily."**

**"As funny as it is to see you argue with your eagle, can we talk?" Annabeth asked. Miu looked affronted at being labeled a pet and Naruto blinked.**

**"Well, aren't I the popular one today?" he said with a hint of amusement. He nodded and opened his door. Annabeth followed him in and left the door open behind her. Naruto flopped down on his rollout while Miu moved to her perch and began to clean her wings. "So what's the main problem on your mind, Anna-baba?"**

**Annabeth's eye twitched. "Now it's that stupid nickname..."**

"You love it," Hazel grinned at her.

Annabeth crossed her arms with a huff. She did not!

**"You said I could call you it!"**

**"In private!"**

**"...And?"**

**Annabeth rubbed her face in mild irritation. "Whatever, Naruto. I didn't come to you to argue about what you call me."**

_**Naruto two, girls zero,**_** Naruto thought with a grin as he lounged. **

"One more and he should get a Sunday." Apollo beamed.

**"Okay, then why did you want to talk to me?"**

**"Because you're relatively the only person here I really trust," Annabeth said. **

The Hera Rescue Squad looked hurt at that.

"Sorry." Annabeth told them.

**Naruto frowned and she flushed. "I know, but, Piper and Leo are too close to Jason and Jason's...too perfect."**

**Naruto snorted. "Yeah right. Flyboy can't block a roundhouse to save his life. My friend Lee would knock his head clean off**

"But I like my head where it is." Jason frowned. And he could so take a roundhouse.

**...then again, Lee can cut through pretty much any metal known to man with his kick..."**

**"**_**Anyway**_**," Annabeth said, a frown directed at her nephew for his interruption. "I'm...nervous."**

**"About things going wrong?" Naruto asked.**

**"About things going **_**right**_**," Annabeth said. "When-If we land, we'll have to meet the leaders of their camp and Romans have councils."**

"I hated that," Percy commented.

"It's not that bad." Reyna waved him off.

"It was!" Percy groaned. He was so glad Frank got his limited time job.

**"Hope they're not like mine," Naruto said.**

**"**_**You and me both, brother. Corruption and best interests aside, old farts are just plain annoying,"**_** Kurama said.**

_**Amen to that.**_** Naruto looked at Annabeth as she prattled on about her concerns over the meeting with the leaders. He half-listened as she occasionally repeatedly doubted her own capabilities to lead the conversation about the threat of Gaia. As the fifth what-if came out of her mouth, Naruto sighed loudly to interject.**

"You ramble in a very cute way." Percy assured her. Getting a flushing smile from Annabeth.

**"Annabeth," he said, her full name used to show how serious he was. "You're the smartest person at Camp. It's not about winning them over, that's just a boon, what we need to do is get them to realize that Tsuchi-chan is a threat."**

"…He's still calling her that?" Piper frowned.

Aphrodite was in titters.

**"...Did you just refer to Gaia with an affectionate suffix?" Annabeth asked with a frown.**

**"...No...? Did I?" Naruto asked in return.**

**Annabeth narrowed her eyes and frowned at him. For a few tense seconds, it was quiet until she broke the silence with a question. "Naruto, what do you make of Gaia?"**

**Naruto sat up and thought about it for a minute. "Well, Pa said that Nature Chakra comes from the earth, which I now know as Gaia, and whenever I use it I don't feel a lot but strength and warmth. But I also sense a hint of loneliness...So, maybe she's lonely?"**

"That's true," Piper said in a soft tone.

**"That makes no sense. She's the earth itself," Annabeth said pointedly. "She can't be lonely."**

**Naruto frowned at her. "Of course she can. She's been asleep for what? Thousands of years, right? And when she wakes up, her children are gone or sealed away? Sounds pretty lonely to me."**

"Hm, good point. But I still will never like her." Leo stated. He got blown up because of her.

**His hand went to his stomach absentmindedly and Kurama snorted in the back of his mind. Naruto gave a light smirk at his friend's attempt to act tough.**

**Annabeth hummed as she took this all in. "Still, I want you to be there with me when we land. Your charmspeak should help greatly."**

"Yes, brainwash us." Reyna told Annabeth dryly, who just gave a sheepish look back. Best be prepared, right?

**"I don't have it," Naruto said with a roll of his eyes. Honestly, when would the campers get it through their heads? He just had, as Leo put it, mad speaking skills. Though he did wonder why it felt like Leo made fun of him.**

"I was." Leo nodded affirmatively.

**Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Sure you don't..."**

**"Fine, I'll be there. Won't be a lot of help though," Naruto said as he flopped back onto his bed, his arms acted as a cushion for his head. "Anything else you need to talk about? A certain son of Poseidon, for instance?"**

"Oooh." Thalia sang out, getting a push from Annabeth.

**"Shut up, Naruto," Annabeth said with a light flush.**

**Naruto sat up and interlaced his hands together over his chest while he made kissy faces. "I'm sure he misses you, Annabeth~!"**

"He's doomed." Percy shook his head.

**"Die!" He was hit with a pillow and then tackled to the bed, the pillow being thrust into his face while Annabeth told him to die over and over again out of embarrassment. **

"How to hide the body." Annabeth pursed her lips.

"Annabeth!" Piper glared.

"What? He made me."

**He might've, he was laughing hard enough to. And the suffocation did little to stop it. Of course, their actions attracted the attention of a certain satyr.**

**"Aha! I knew it! Out! Get out and go back to your own room!" Hedge said to a blood red Annabeth.**

**"Assaulted by my own aunt!" Naruto wailed while he hid his face. Annabeth caught sight of a hidden smile and glared at the blond. **

"How could you cheat on me?" Percy pouted at his girlfriend jokingly.

"Percy!" Annabeth shouted, her face a blazing red.

**"Fuzzypants, how could this happen!?"**

**"I-! That's!" Annabeth failed to give a proper response.**

**"That's a good question," Hedge said with a growl. He pointed at Annabeth while she fumbled over her words. **

"Never thought I'd see this day."

"Shut up, Thalia!" the embarrassed daughter of wisdom cried out as her supposed friends laughed at her.

**"You, get back to your room. And blondie, you stay here until I get back."**

**"Y-Yes sir," Naruto said with a large sniff.**

**"Oh you are so dead, Uzumaki!"**

**"I thought you loved me!"**

Annabeth's hands were making strangling motions now. Percy inched away, just to be safe.

**"OUT!"**

**The next few days weren't as eventful as the first. Annabeth had finally cleared her name in Hedge's eyes when Naruto admitted that they weren't doing anything of the sort. Hedge seemed to accept it when Naruto laid out all the facts (One: she's his aunt. Two: the door was open. Three: she's his aunt. four: Why would she threaten to kill him if they were doing **_**that**_**? And finally: She's his **_**aunt**_**.) **

"Hm," Leo rubbed his chin, "The facts…they do not lie."

"Indeed." Apollo nodded.

**and let Annabeth have free roam once again. Naruto, however, regretted it as Annabeth tried to make true on her promise and chased him repeatedly to his room, only to be stopped by the door slammed in her face each time. Around the third day, it stopped and they reconciled.**

**That and Leo threatened to kick them both off if they messed up his ship any more than they already had. Which, in Naruto's opinion, was because Annabeth got a bit too close to the walls while she was stab happy.**

"Never seen that before." Percy commented, getting Annabeth to pinch his arm.

**Currently, Naruto was at his desk working on a few papers he had to fill out before he could get promoted to Jonin. He sighed and rested his cheek in his hand as he flipped to the third page. "Ugh, the paperwork gets more detailed as you get older...maybe I should've just stayed a genin and then become Hokage..."**

"Responsibility is important." Athena chided her legacy. If he was promoted, he should take it.

**He looked up at the sound of a tone and listened to Leo's announcement.**

**"According to the map, we're an hour and thirty minutes away," Leo said. "So all aboard going ashore should prep for landing...or battle."**

"Smart." Athena said.

**"Leo!" Naruto heard Jason shout.**

**"Just being a realist, Jason, geez...Captain out."**

"Indeed I am." Leo nodded.

**"I was just kidding when I said he was going to be captain," Naruto said under his breath. It took another thirty minutes, but Naruto finished the grueling paperwork. He put his pen away and put the papers in a vanilla folder before he sealed them into a scroll to be checked over later. With a glance to the still sleeping Miu, Naruto crept out of his room and made his way to the control room with his staff in hand.**

**By the time he got up there, Naruto was welcomed to the sight of Jason fumbling with a purple cloth over his clothes, **

"Represent." Jason nodded as the current praetors laughed.

**Annabeth triple-checking her plans and notes and Leo doing some weird exercise with the controls. **

"Wii Fitness!" Apollo beamed.

**Piper went over to help Jason with his...cape (?), so Naruto decided to meditate by the door. As soon as he reached out with his chakra, he wished he hadn't. As though Ma's staff smacked him across the face, Naruto fell back out of the chair he had sat down on and groaned. Annabeth, disturbed from her thoughts at his fall, got him back to his feet.**

**"Ow..." Naruto rubbed his head. "Someone out there doesn't want to be hit by chakra..."**

"Oh no," Reyna palmed her face. She could literally feel what was to come.

**"No attack shall breach my barriers!" The five teens looked to the source of the new voice and found a statue that was not present before. It was that of a man, but armless and nude from the waist up. From the waist down, he was no better than a giant brick.**

The gods snickered a bit at their fellow god.

"Joy." Percy said dryly.

**"...So...Who brought the automaton onboard?" Leo asked. The statue scoffed at the title.**

**"I am no machine!" He said with a sneer. His head tilted when Naruto poked at him with his staff.**

Athena's lip curled upward.

**"Not metal," Naruto said with a nod of confirmation. "This dude's as hard as a rock and feels like one too."**

**The statue glared heavily at him. "I know not what you are, demigod, but you will do best to get that weapon off of my face before I destroy it along with you."**

**"...No need to be so mean about it," Naruto said, his staff returned to his side. He lifted his other hand in greeting. "Name's Naruto Uzumaki, sup stone guy?"**

**The 'stone guy' glared daggers at the blond. "My name, **_**graceus**_**, is Terminus and you would do well to remember it. I am the god of boundaries that protects Camp Jupiter."**

**"...Why don't you have arms?" Naruto asked. All eyes went to him and he shrugged. "What, it's a legit question!"**

"It really is." Nico thought out loud, "I mean, an armless god?"

"He hated shaking hands." Hermes snickered, Apollo joining him as they low-fived.

**"This form before you is merely a representation of my true self. I have always been carved without arms as they limit the effectiveness of my vocal commands," Terminus said with a sneer. "Name your parentage, Naruto Uzumaki, before I smite you where you stand."**

**"...You've got to have a scratch somewhere, that's the only reason you're so pissed," Naruto said under his breath before he cleared his throat. **

"Right on his nose." Hazel giggled.

**"I'm the son of Aphrodite and the legacy of Athena."**

**Terminus sneered at him. "Oh Jupiter, you're a legacy of that goddess? Disgusting, I thought the Greeks had better taste than that."**

"What?" Athena said in an icy tone.

**Naruto's eye twitched at the slight to his father. "You wanna go, Stone Man?"**

**"Naruto!" Annabeth hissed.**

**"He started it!" The blond glared at the boundary god, who glared right back. "I could take you any day of the week, Stone Man."**

**"I would welcome the sacrifice, **_**graceus**_**." Terminus huffed.**

"He honestly could." Athena said with a vicious smile.

**"Wait, we're getting off on the wrong foot here," Jason said as he stepped forward. "Terminus, do you remem-?"**

**"Jason Grace? What are you doing in their company?" Terminus asked with a sneer. "You disgrace us, Jason. **

"The irony." Hades chuckled.

**Perhaps I should bring the ship down with you in it. It would save the camp from the shame of being associated with the Greeks any more than we already are."**

"Wow, so not the HR guy." Leo shook his head.

"Tell me about it," Nico rolled his eyes.

**"Hey, watch it buddy or I'll dismantle you," Leo said with a screwdriver in hand. It was sent from his hand to the wall behind him and Leo gaped. "What the-?!"**

**"Near me with that weapon, **_**graceus**_**, and you will lose more than it next time," Terminus said. "You will listen to me now. This ship is in a no-fly zone and you will turn around."**

"You are in a restricted airspace, prepare to be shot down." Apollo said in walkie talkie talk.

"Hey!" Leo frowned, no one messed with his ride…well, except when it got destroyed. So not his fault.

**"But Terminus-!"**

**"You are free to return with me, Jason," Terminus said, slightly kinder than how he had addressed the others. "But the rest of you will turn around. There has not been a single Greek weapon in camp without my say so and thus far, I have been given hardly a reason to allow one as large as this."**

**"Please," Piper said. Naruto realized she must have started to turn the charm on. "Sir, we just want to land and talk to the leaders of the camp."**

"Bad move, sweetie." The love goddess winced.

**"Enough of your tricks, Venus spawn," Terminus said with a scowl. "They will not work on me."**

**Piper frowned and Annabeth took her turn to step up. "What if we don't land?"**

**"And who are you?" Terminus asked.**

**"Annabeth Chase," she said. "My mother is Athena."**

**Terminus snorted. "So even Minerva is disgraceful to her oath as a Greek?"**

"Loophole." Athena seethed.

**"No! It's-it's different," Annabeth said with a small frown. "Wait, does Minerva not have any children?"**

**"Of course not," Terminus said. "She is a virgin goddess. And if she did have a child, they would be artists, useless to our legion."**

Ares snickered at his sister as Athena sent him a blazing glare that actually shut him up.

**"Hey, watch it, stone dude or you'll find yourself reconnecting with the ground!" Naruto snarled. Diss his family once, you get a freebie. Diss 'em twice, you get a warning. Last diss would earn the 'god' a butt whooping only Naruto Uzumaki could provide, god or not.**

"Do it," Athena hissed.

**"Naruto, shut up," Annabeth said. She looked back at Terminus with a pleading frown. "What if we left our ship in the air?"**

**"...Along with your weapons?" Terminus frowned.**

**Annabeth's frown deepened. "We can't be defenseless-!"**

**"Then you will turn around and leave!" Terminus scowled at the girl. "You dare intrude us on our festival, armed to the teeth in a warship and expect us to allow you hospitality? You are more foolhardy than I thought."**

"He's got us there." Piper admitted.

**"Fine, the weapons will stay," Annabeth said with a scowl. Terminus smirked at her.**

**"I knew you'd see it my way," he said. "I will alert our Praetors...Be aware, Jason Grace, your position has been filled and your new allegiance will be noted."**

Jason rolled his eyes.

**Jason frowned as the god vanished just as quickly as he came.**

**"We're not landing, I'm not going," Leo said after a beat. He crossed his arms. "Hedge and I will keep an eye out up here."**

**"Yeah, an eye," Hedge said as he walked in the room with a bitter scowl on his face. Naruto smirked as he remembered the deal Annabeth made with him about letting him get a good fight back at camp if he stayed on the ship. "Sorry, I couldn't get in because of an invisible force field or some bull hockey."**

"God magic." Hera noted.

**"All right, you two will be our support. Keep the engines running, but don't do anything unless we say so," Annabeth said with a gesture to herself and Piper.**

"Why are they in charge?" Leo frowned.

"Because we have the most sense." Annabeth stated.

"Oh. Right."

**"You got it," Leo said. He looked at Naruto. "You staying?"**

**"I'll leave a few clones," Naruto said as he leaned his staff against the wall. He created a dozen to watch the ship and followed Annabeth, Jason and Piper to the ladder that was lowered to the ground on the edge of the camp. Naruto looked down past the others and groaned. **_**This is going to be a long climb.**_

**"**_**Yeah, and I get the feeling these Romans will be just as welcoming as Terminus was,"**_** Kurama said. **_**"Keep your guard up, Naruto. Who knows what we will encounter down there."**_

_**Right, Kurama,**_** Naruto thought as he resumed the climb down. It took a total of thirteen minutes, but eventually, Naruto's feet touched the ground once more.**

"Wow, you had some altitude." Hermes whistled.

**The camp was more like a city than a camp, but then again, Jason had said there was also a city or something, New Rome. Neat name. A sea of people awaited them at the bottom and parted as Annabeth led them through. They stopped a good distance away from the other Praetor, Reyna. Naruto took her appearance in; dark eyes hard and wary, skin that looked like a healthy deep tan, and hair akin to the night sky outside of Konoha, dark and glossy with starlight. She was gorgeous, like most demigoddesses were.**

Reyna smiled at the compliment as Thalia rolled her eyes.

**Then came the teen that walked up to stand beside her. He was lean and muscled. His hair was dark as well, though not the same intensity. It was swept to one side like he had just walked on the beach and his sea green eyes were locked with Annabeth's grey eyes. A smile that Naruto knew he had seen in the mirror several times before crossed his face and Naruto immediately knew who stood across from them.**

**Percy Jackson.**

"Hi me." Percy waved, getting Annabeth to giggle and held his hand, remembering the moment.

"So, you want this one?" Jason asked him.

Percy nodded, "Naruto Uzumaki, meet Percy Jackson." He grinned.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Naruto**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**3: Percy Jackson**

"It'sa me, Percy." Percy said in an Italian accent, getting Annabeth to giggle.

"Dude," Nico frowned at him.

"A Plummer, how fitting." Athena commented, getting a slight glare at Poseidon.

**Naruto examined the Hero of Olympus with intrigue. The son of Poseidon was lean like a swimmer, but for all of his worth, Naruto wondered just how strong he really was. Jason proved himself and Naruto knew he'd have to put Percy through the same trial. **

"Bring it on." Percy grinned.

**He grinned as he thought about the possible fight, to give Percy a handicap on water or not would be interesting. Would it be like fighting Zabuza again? Could Percy form a dragon from the water? **

"I can make giant water fists."

**Could he manipulate the mist like a dense fog to sneak up on his opponents?**

Nico snorted, "Percy can't do stealth."

"I can too." Percy pouted.

"Sure."

**"**_**Don't get your hopes up,"**_** Kurama said and Naruto felt his smile dim.**

_**Yeah...I don't think anyone will be able to fight me like Sasuke,**_** Naruto thought.**

"Ah, the rival." Aphrodite nodded.

**"Jason Grace, my former colleague," Reyna said, her voice broke Naruto from his internal dismay. It was firm, but warm, save for the way she said the word colleague like it was a disease. **

"It was…upsetting when you returned as you had." Reyna explained at seeing the frown on Jason's face.

**He watched her look over their group with a small frown on her face. "I welcome you home. And these, your friends-"**

**Annabeth and Percy suddenly shot forward. Naruto's eyebrows shot up as the couple embraced in a kiss.**

Thalia whistled, "Wow, no restraint."

"Damn right." Percy grinned wildly as Annabeth flushed at the scene. Stupid hormones.

_**Huh...didn't see that coming.**_

**"**_**I think you found some rivals for your title as Most Unpredictable."**_

**Naruto mentally scoffed at Kurama's amused comment. **_**Yeah right. Let's see them use the **_**Reverse Oroike no Jutsu**_** on Kaguya!**_

Aphrodite was in titters at the technique as Artemis gagged in repulsion.

**"**_**...Ugh, you're the dumbest being alive, I swear."**_

_**Your words hurt me...ow, but not as much as that probably hurt him.**_** Naruto thought with a wince as Annabeth suddenly hip tossed Percy Jackson to the ground. **

"Well, we see who's got the pants in the relationship." Ares remarked with a chuckle.

"Of course." Athena agreed.

Percy just pouted at Annabeth, who huffed.

_**Geez, and I thought Sakura's punches hurt...I'm glad she doesn't throw me!**_

**"If you ever leave me again!" Annabeth said from her position above Percy. "I swear to all gods-!"**

**Percy cut her off with a laugh and Naruto grinned. Oh yeah, he liked Percy. The guy was okay in his books. "Consider me warned. I missed you too."**

"Aw, isn't it sweet?" Thalia laughed.

"Very," Piper snickered.

**Annabeth seemed to accept that and helped him back to his feet. Jason cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Well, uh, it's great to be back."**

**"Understatement," Naruto said with a grin. This was gold.**

**Jason introduced Reyna to Piper. The two held a glance for a moment before they greeted each other with nods. Jason then turned to Naruto, who grinned at the Praetor. "And this is her brother, Naruto Uzumaki."**

**"How's it going?" Naruto asked as he reappeared in front of her with his hand extended. The Romans around them were in shock at the speed he displayed and Naruto heard skin slap skin, undoubtedly either Piper or Annabeth clapped a hand over their face in embarrassment.**

"Idiot." The two girls said as one.

**Reyna studied him for a moment before she took his offered hand and shook it. "It...is well."**

"First contact." The love goddess said to herself, intrigued.

**"Glad to hear it. So, where's the food?" Naruto asked as he retook his hand. Something pinched his ear and pulled him back. "Ow! Ow! Annabeth! Ow!"**

**"You're making a scene, just be patient!" Annabeth hissed. Naruto pouted at her and crossed his arms.**

**"Oh yeah, I'm the one making the scene, Miss Judo-Flip-My-Boyfriend," Naruto said. **

"He's got you there." Hazel giggled, making Annabeth's face burn red.

**Annabeth glared at him with red cheeks and Percy watched them with a bit of amusement.**

**"I like him," Percy said with a chuckle. **

"Other me has good taste." Percy nodded.

**Naruto grinned back at him.**

**"...Oh gods, I was right. There are two of them," Annabeth said under her breath.**

"Gods help us." Leo said dramatically.

"Nah." The gods answered.

**"And this is Annabeth," Jason said with a sigh. So much for a smooth, professional meeting. **

"Yeah, Annie, making out and judo flipping your boy."

"Shut up, Thalia." The blonde glared at the mirthful eyes of her hunter friend.

**"Normally, she doesn't attack people or chastise them like they're children, but for Naruto we make an exception."**

**"I take offense to that!"**

**"You should," Jason said dryly. Naruto stuck his tongue out at his fellow blond.**

**Reyna ignored them and looked at Annabeth with amused eyes. "Are you sure you are not Roman, Annabeth? Or an Amazon?"**

Annabeth glanced at Percy, "You would look nice with a collar."

"…Please no." Percy pleaded with a whimper.

**"A what?" Naruto asked.**

**"I'll explain later," Annabeth said to him. "No, and I only attack either my boyfriend or Naruto like that."**

**"She's so cruel...Aren't you lucky?" Naruto asked with a teasing grin to the son of Poseidon.**

"It's a sign of affection!" Aphrodite chirped.

"Ah, violence." Ares sighed.

**Percy just grinned back at him. "Jealous?"**

**"No, not really. Annabeth's like an aunt to me," Naruto said with a snicker.**

**Percy blinked and Annabeth clarified. "He's my nephew. His father was my brother."**

**"Oh. Okay," the son of Poseidon said with a nod.**

"Well, that clears that up." Percy said, it could have been awkward.

**"Interesting," Reyna said. "I wasn't aware that Camp Half-Blood also allowed legacies."**

**"They're rare, but welcome," Annabeth said. Naruto felt a wave of apprehension come from Annabeth and gave her a concerned look.**

**"**_**She's just uneasy about being in 'enemy' territory. Something you amazingly lack,"**_** Kurama said.**

"Gotta stay on your toes." Frank nodded in understanding.

**"I see. Well, we were just about to feast and you've come all this way. Centurions!" Reyna turned to several teens that walked forward. A couple got Naruto's attention.**

**One was a boy that reminded him of Choji, a bit on the hefty side but had a good nature to him, **

"Did he just compare me to the fat giant guy?" Frank asked.

"Oh yeah he did." Leo snickered.

"Hey, you got that blessing," Hazel poked his toned body, "It's fine." She winked, getting a sheepish smile from Frank.

**and the other was a girl that was a few years younger than them, her eyes an impressive shade of gold. **

Hazel smiled at the compliment.

**She reminded him of Karui, the liaison of Kumogakure no Sato and the girl he had willing allowed to beat the snot out of him, only without the red hair. **

"He's a masochist?" Reyna blinked as Piper glared at her.

"Hey," she pointed at her new friend. Her brother was not a masochist!

"Kinky."

"Mom!"

**Naruto scratched his head, wondering why something about the similarities was so funny.**

**Kurama, however, had begun to burst into laughter. Naruto asked what was so funny, but the fox refused to elaborate. The two flanked Percy like they were his personal guard or close friends.**

**One Centurion suddenly spoke out with a sneer on his face. "They are enemies, you wish to welcome them into our camp!?"**

"Ten bucks who that one is." Percy said dryly, getting a snort from Jason.

"No bet."

**"They are our guests," Reyna said, emphasizing each word as she said it with a pause. "Now go and burn an offering to welcome them."**

**Percy grinned. "Yeah Octavian, go burn your teddy bears."**

"Shoo." Percy said with a dismissive wave.

**"...That's a horrible job," Naruto said with a snicker. He and Percy shared another grin while Octavian sneered at them and stormed off. Annabeth sighed and slapped the two chuckleheads on the back of their heads with a frown on her face.**

Annabeth sighed, "I feel sorry for my other. One was bad enough, but two?"

"Hey," Percy frowned at that. He was not that bad.

**"Ow! What was that for?" Percy asked.**

**"I've learned that with him, there's only one way to stop embarrassment before it can happen," Annabeth said with a glare to the innocently whistling Naruto.**

**"...Yeah, but I have a position of power. Let me flaunt it a little," Percy said with a pout directed at her. **

"Yeah, let me show my swagger." Percy nodded in agreement.

**Naruto snickered.**

**"Sounds like you want to show off for your girlfriend," he said. Percy brooded.**

**"Well, duh."**

**Annabeth smiled at him and crossed her arms. "Sweet, Percy, but unneeded."**

"Aww," the son of Poseidon pouted.

**Naruto smirked. "Ah, so he's already charmed you, eh? I see...I'll be sure to tell Leo to activate Hedge's laser door."**

Everyone laughed as the couple in question were red in the face.

**"Naruto!" Annabeth turned red and Percy blinked in confusion.**

**"Hedge? Leo?" Percy asked.**

**"Leo's the captain of our ship," Naruto said. He nodded in the direction of the Argo II. "Refused to come down after the Stone Guy threatened to blow it up. He's got separation issues. Like with his magic three-legged table."**

**Percy blinked and turned to Annabeth. "How much did I miss exactly?"**

"A lot." Annabeth stated dryly.

**Annabeth shook her head and laced her hand in his. "Just come on Seaweed Brain. We'll talk at the feast."**

**"Food!?" Naruto perked up. He grinned and ran after Jason and Piper, who were already behind Reyna and walked off. "Wait for me! Finally, what I've been waiting for!"**

"And he calls the bird a glutton." Nico said with a roll of his eyes.

"Eagle." Jason corrected.

"Whatever."

**Annabeth pinched the bridge of her nose while Percy chuckled. "He's an all right guy."**

**"I like him," the boy that stood behind Percy said with a small smile.**

**Percy grinned. "I know, right?"**

"The bromance starts here." Apollo sang out.

**"I'm never going to leave you two alone in one spot," Annabeth said with a sigh.**

**"Oh what's the worst that could happen?" He waved off her concern.**

Everyone just looked at Percy, making hi squirm, "What?"

"Really?" Nico asked him, "Did you honestly just say that?"

Percy just shrugged.

**The table was filled to the edge with food that smelled absolutely delicious. However, it wasn't as impressive as an average night at the Akamichi clan house. Now that was a **_**feast**_**. Naruto was sure that the last time he ate there, his stomach had literally exploded. Kurama refused to answer and only said for the blond to eat less next time. However, that wouldn't be an issue if he always asked Piper for help.**

**Naruto stared at his plate of vegetables and then glared at Piper. "When I said help me pick out the good stuff, I meant more than just the introduction to the feast."**

"No ramen." Piper said with her arms formed as an X.

**"Vegetables are good for you," Piper said with a frown to her brother.**

**Naruto cringed. "Ugh, they taste so nasty though..."**

**"Eat. Now." Piper gave him a stern glare. He needed to eat healthier than just ramen all the time. Plus, she needed some support on the vegetarian side.**

"She'll convert us all!" Leo wailed in horror.

**"We're not at camp," Naruto said with a smirk. "You can't boss me around here. And, you know that charmtalk doesn't work on me for some reason."**

"Because you have it!" Piper said with irritation.

**Piper pouted at him. Behind Naruto several Romans began to dig in to the vegetables without any desire to. **

"Excellent," Reyna nodded.

**Damn his immunity to charmspeak.**

**Naruto gave his plate to a Roman that had finished his salad and grabbed another plate. He grabbed some random food and continued to pile it up until it was a small mountain on his plate. He grabbed the turkey leg and was about to take a bite, but stopped when Reyna toasted for good health and luck to the two camps.**

"Yeah, that'll last for like five seconds." Ares snickered.

**"Here, here," Naruto said with a grin before he ripped into the leg. Piper glared at him after he swallowed and he frowned. "What?"**

**Piper sighed and shook her head. "Nothing..."**

**Naruto looked at her, then the leg in his hand and then back at her. He held the leg out to her and grinned at her when she gained a look of repulsion. "Come on, you know you want a bite...The birds will forgive you, Imouto."**

"Oh he did not!" Piper fumed as Jason snickered into his hand.

**"Get it out of my face," Piper said dangerously.**

**"Fine, fine...You don't know what you're missing~!" He said with a smirk as he took another bite. That'll teach her to make fun of his glorious ramen.**

"Noddle power." Hazel nodded.

**"Carnivorous monster," Piper said with an accusatory glare.**

"Best kind of monster," Ares argued.

**Naruto just exaggerated his bliss as he chewed the meat. And as if to rub salt in the wound, he suddenly paused and ripped a piece of the meat off. **

"Look how his teeth sinks into the flesh in a slow sensual embrace." Aphrodite narrated.

"Aphrodite." Hestia frowned, "There are children here."

"Ah, correction, budding adults!"

"Children to us." The hearth goddess corrected.

"…Party pooper." The love goddess pouted.

**There was a shriek and the piece of meat in his fingers was suddenly gone. Another shriek and the eagle that all those who rode on the Argo II knew had returned to her perch on his shoulder.**

"Cannibalism," Hades hissed along with the rest of his imprisoned siblings.

**"See? Even Miu likes the turkey," he said with a smirk. "And she's a bird." Miu squawked and he chuckled. "Eagle. Sorry."**

**"Both of you, carnivorous monsters," Piper said in distaste. Naruto just stuck his tongue out at her and fed Miu another piece of turkey.**

**"Excuse me?" Naruto looked to the Roman that sat next to him, the boy's eyes locked on the golden eagle perched on his shoulder. "Why do you have a, uh, eagle on your shoulder?"**

"Oh right, you Roman guys love your eagles." Percy nodded, "Why again?" he asked Jason.

Jason pointed at Zeus, who was glaring at his nephew.

"Oh, right. Him."

**"Well, I'm not about to let her sit on my head with those talons of hers," Naruto said as he gave Miu another piece of turkey. When he didn't get even a smile, he sighed. "I don't know, Miu just likes me for some reason. Right, Miu?"**

**Miu chirped and nipped at his turkey leg.**

**"Oi! You'll get what I give you, glutton," Naruto said with a stern frown. Miu squawked and he scoffed. "Oh, trying to play the faster card? I don't think so, Miu."**

**The Romans were entranced as Naruto and Miu began to bicker, the eagle cawed and shrieked, but Naruto held firm on his stance. **

"Don't make me get out the bird cage." Apollo shook his fist mock threateningly.

Zeus hissed at the vile contraption. Birds needed to be free in the air. Not caged in, like animals!

**Finally, Annabeth got up, went over to the two and with her best Athena glare in place, told them to knock it off. Miu hung her head alongside Naruto and Annabeth returned to the amused Percy's side.**

**"Wow, look at you," he said. "Is he really that bad?"**

**Annabeth gave him a mild glare. "I swear, if you two could swap hair, eyes and cheeks, there'd be no way to tell you apart."**

"I'd take that as a compliment." Percy smiled.

**"Not true," Naruto said after a moment of silence on his part. He grinned. "I wouldn't kiss you, he would."**

"Indeed." Annabeth nodded as she kissed the current reader on the cheek, getting a goofy smile.

**Percy grinned back and Annabeth rubbed her temples. "This was a bad idea...Leo should've come instead."**

**"Oh that's right," Naruto said with a snap of his fingers. He pointed at his plate and looked at Reyna. "Can I get some to go? Leo wanted to try some Roman cooking."**

**"I don't see why not," Reyna said. She returned to her conversation with Jason and Piper. Naruto noticed that her hands tightened around the utensils in them and he shook his head. **

Piper and Reyna shared a laugh, like it was an old memory.

**He snorted and went back to his meal. A bowl of cheese covered noodles, not bad, but not ramen.**

_**And they say I'm dense.**_

**"**_**You **_**are**_** dense,"**_** Kurama said dryly. **_**"It took your first ex-girlfriend a solid kiss on the lips to get your attention.**_

_Hephaestus grunted at that._

_ **The blonde bimbo from the golden cabin had to practically shout at you. **_

_"Hey!" Apollo snapped at the slight to his…adventurous daughter. _

_**And the flower girl couldn't muster the courage so she spelled it out, literally, on a piece of paper."**_

"Nothing wrong with that," Demeter said weakly.

**Naruto pouted as he focused on his friend. **_**Well, now, that's a different story altogether.**_

**"**_**Sure it is,"**_** Kurama said. Naruto could feel his eyes roll from where he sat. **_**"If you weren't your **_**_father's_**_** child I would wonder where you got it from."**_

**Naruto blinked and then chuckled suddenly to himself.**_** So, I get it from Grandma?**_

_"Well, she's never showed physical interest." Aphrodite rolled her eyes._

_"I can still read a mood," the wisdom goddess huffed. _

**"**_**You might've gotten it from your paternal Grandfather,"**_** Kurama said dismissively. **_**"Or perhaps it's a trait that goes back to your past life as Asura."**_

_"Ah, the whole ninja reincarnation topic," Hades mused with mild interest. _

_**Hm, there's that,**_** Naruto conceded. He didn't think often of his 'past life', personally not one to believe in reincarnation. The fork that had impaled the 'macaroni and cheese' went into his mouth and he chewed it absentmindedly. **_**Did you ever meet him?**_

**"**_**No. The Rikudo Sennin made us once his sons were trained and grown,"**_** Kurama said with a frown. **_**"And that was only a year or so prior to the beginning of Asura and Indra's war. I was but a kit then, so I kept myself hidden."**_

**Naruto blinked. **_**A kit, wait, you were a baby!?**_

_"Aw," Piper smiled at the thought of a baby fox._

_"I want one," Ares pouted like the man-child he was. _

**"**_**I was no baby!"**_** Kurama snarled. **_**"I had not accumulated the mass I have today."**_

_"So…baby?" Percy scratched the back of his head._

_"Baby." Annabeth nodded. _

**Naruto let a smile cover his face as he ate more macaroni and cheese **_**...I bet you were an adorable kit.**_

**"**_**Naruto, friend or not, I will kill you if you keep this up."**_

_**C'mon, give me a mental image. You had to have looked at a lake or something, right?**_** Naruto smirked.**

**"**_**I'm warning you!"**_

_**I could always ask Chōmei...or Shukaku...Heck, I'm sure Matatabi would be more than willing to share some memories with me,**_** Naruto thought.**

"Meow," the love goddess purred jokingly.

**"**_**I will rip you apart the next time you come in here!"**_

_**Just one peek?**_** Naruto silently asked as he took another bite of macaroni and cheese. Kurama growled before an image came to the forefront of Naruto's mind. The whiskered blond nearly spewed out the food in his mouth in shock. The vicious fox he learned to love like a brother was **_**freaking adorable.**_** Dare he say it, but chibi-Kurama was downright **_**Kawaii!**_

_"The Kawaii just got real!" Apollo exclaimed._

_"…I want to hold him," Hazel smiled at the picture as the girls cooed at the big fuzzy fox. _

_**You're so cute!**_** Naruto thought with a laugh as he choked down the food in his mouth.**

**"**_**I will murder you from the inside out!" **_**Kurama roared.**

"Yay murder!" Ares cheered with his hands in the air.

_**Can I hug chibi you?**_** Naruto asked. He wasn't even kidding. Kurama might be as tall as a mountain, but his younger self, probably only as big as a two humans stacked on top one another. In essence, a giant fluffy fox.**

**"**_**Naruto, I swear on the Sage's name that if you so much as DARE ask that question again, I will ensure that your line does not continue!"**_

_"The fiend!" the lady of doves gasped._

_Athena also frowned at that. _

**"Maa...so mean..." Naruto muttered with a pout while he played with his macaroni and cheese.**

**"What, Naruto?"**

**"Nothing Imouto," Naruto said with a sad sigh. A mischievous smile crossed his face. "Ne, Imouto? If you could hug a giant fluffy fox, would you?"**

**"**_**That does it! Consider your sperm sterile!"**_

_"Noooo!" Aphrodite cried out dramatically. _

**Piper, once she got over the confusion caused by the strange question, tapped her chin in thought. "Well, I guess so."**

Piper nodded in agreement with her other.

**"It's an orange fox, by the way," Naruto said, as if the color was the most important feature.**

**"Of course it is," Piper said as she smiled at him. Typical Naruto.**

**"No biggie!?" Octavian suddenly spluttered. Naruto and Piper looked over at him. "The praetorship of Rome is no biggie!?"**

**"So you're the brother of Thalia Grace, huh? Odd, you look nothing like her," Percy said, as he ignored Octavian.**

"We have the same eyes." Thalia frowned.

"And cheekbones," Aphrodite pointed, "Got them from your mother."

**"I noticed," Jason said. He gave Percy a grin. "Thanks for taking care of my camp, by the way."**

**"Back at you," Percy said with a grin of his own.**

**"Oh joy," Piper murmured. "A bromance."**

"Bromance~" Apollo sang out once more. He loved a good bromance.

**Naruto suddenly understood what Ino meant each time he and Sasuke started a mock spat in front of her when he was home. So that's what he and Sasuke looked like? Weird...but understandable. **

"So Percy is Naruto…" Leo hummed, "And that makes Jason Sasuke! Because you know, lightning stuff."

"I am not like him!" Jason said, offended.

"Evil Roman dude," Leo snickered at his best friend, who glared at him.

**Percy yelped and glared at Annabeth, who glared right back.**

**"Reyna's right," she said. "We should talk about serious things. The Great Prophecy, for instance. It sounds like the Romans know of it too?"**

**Reyna nodded. "We call it the Prophecy of Seven."**

"Dum dum dum," Nico said in a low chilling voice.

"Not cool," Frank frowned.

"Aw, take a joke big guy."

_**Frightening name, right?**_

**"**_**I'm still not talking to you."**_

_**Oh, come on, it was a joke!**_

**"**_**Humph. Pay attention to the conversation, baka."**_

**Naruto pouted. One joke...okay, one half-joke and Kurama gets all fussy. He looked back at Annabeth just as the centurion that looked like Choji, named Frank, asked, "Is it true you're a child of Min-I mean, Athena?"**

**"Yes," Annabeth said, a bit defensively. "Why is that such a surprise?"**

**Octavian scoffed and Naruto felt his eye twitch and the desire to deck him in the schnozz grow as he spoke. **

"Do it." The demigods said as Apollo looked like he wanted to agree with them.

**"If you're truly a daughter of the wisdom goddess – "**

**"Enough. Annabeth is what she says. She's here in peace. Besides..." Reyna gave Annabeth a look of grudging respect. "Percy has spoken highly of you."**

"Of her mad kissing skills."

"Thalia!"

**Naruto saw Percy play with his cheeseburger – that oddly had literal blue cheese on it **

"Hail the blue!"

"That is just wrong," Thalia frowned as her burger was defiled, by blue!

– **and he watched Annabeth's face grow red. Naruto's brow furrowed. Did he miss something?**

**"**_**The Praetor came on to your aunt's boyfriend. He refused her."**_** Kurama snorted.**

"Smart." Annabeth said coolly as Reyna offered a sheepish smile.

**Naruto suddenly let out a few suspicious coughs and cleared his throat with a glass of water. He really didn't want to laugh, but damn...That's a whole new level of awkward he was glad to not be a part of. He was open to watching it play out, though.**

"Jerkish nephew." Annabeth grumbled with a pout.

**Annabeth gave him a glare and Naruto swallowed. Oops. Now he was in trouble. He whistled innocently and fed Miu a piece of turkey.**

"It doesn't work, trust me." Percy grimaced.

**"Thank you," Annabeth said to Reyna. "At any rate, some of the prophecy is becoming clear. Foes bearing arms to the Doors of Death...that means Romans and Greeks. We have to work together and find those doors."**

**Hazel, the girl that reminded Naruto of Karui but didn't have her red hair, put a red gem in her shirt pocket and spoke softly. "My brother, Nico, went looking for the doors."**

"And got captured." Ares snickered.

"In a bronze jar, like you."

Ares glared at his smith brother for the reminded of his…predicament back in the way.

**"Wait, Nico di Angelo? He's your brother?" Annabeth asked with a confused frown.**

**Naruto and Miu shared an equally confused glance. "Nico the what now?"**

"Ha, I like that." Percy snickered as Nico glared at him. Stupid Squid Head.

**"Quiet," Piper said to him.**

**"Yes," Hazel said, either not hearing Naruto or ignoring him. She licked her lips nervously. "He disappeared. I'm worried, afraid...I'm not sure, but I think something happened to him."**

"You know, just fought an undying army is Tartarus." Nico said dryly, "Got a good ghost tan."

**"Then we'll look for him," Percy said. Naruto nodded in agreement with Percy's promise. Family and friends always come first. **

Hestia smiled brightly at that.

**"We have to find the Doors of Death anyway. Thanatos told us we'd find both answers in Rome, er, the original Rome. That's on the way to Greece, right?"**

**"Thanatos told you? The death god?" Annabeth asked him.**

"Also kown as the troll god." Hermes said with a finger in the air.

"Oh do go on," Hades snorted, Thanatos was always lazy in his opinion.

**Naruto frowned. "I thought Hades was the Dead God, er, god of the dead."**

**"Hades is the god of the underworld," Annabeth corrected. "Thanatos is the god of death itself."**

**"Oh...Huh, sounds like a lame job either way," Naruto said with a shrug.**

"…I don't like him," Hades frowned.

"There there, Hades." Hestia consoled.

**"Well," Percy said around a bite of his burger. He swallowed. "With Death free, the monsters will disintegrate and go back to Tartarus again. But, with the Doors open, they'll just keep coming back."**

**"Like water leaking through a dam," Piper said as she played with the feather in her braid.**

**Percy smirked. "Yeah, we got a dam hole."**

Percy and Thalia snickered, bumping fists.

**"What?"**

**"Inside joke, never mind," he said with a sigh. **

"For us," Thalia smirked widely.

**"The point is we gotta find the doors and close them before we go to Greece. It's the only way we'll be sure the giants stay down once we defeat them."**

**"Wait, does that mean Enceladus will be back?" Naruto asked, now interested in the conversation.**

**Percy frowned. "I'll sell a who?"**

"Stupid names." Percy pursed his lips.

**"Anti-Athena," Annabeth said. She nodded in Naruto's direction. "Naruto defeated Enceladus with Athena's spear...lucky..."**

**"Jealous~!" Naruto sang with a smirk. He sat back and crossed his arms, his smirk gone and a serious look on his face. "But if that asshole is coming back, I want another crack at him. Maybe I'll be allowed to use Aegis next time."**

"No way!" Annabeth cried out, clearly jealous.

"You can borrow mine, Annie…for like a minute." Thalia told her, just getting a pout from her friend.

**Annabeth scowled at him. "Naruto, enough."**

**Naruto just smirked and watched Reyna pluck an apple from a plate as it floated past. She studied it as she turned it. "You realize that you are suggesting to go to Greece in your warship? A place more dangerous to demigods than anywhere else in the United States?"**

**"You said that about Alaska and we turned out alright," Percy said.**

"Large shade army, right, alright," Frank nodded as Percy shrugged.

"We handled it."

Frank just shook his head, Percy was a demon with combat.

**"Yes, but these are ancient lands and not to mention the Mare Nostrum," Reyna said as she peeled the apple with her nails. Short, but sharp. Deadly, much like a shinobi, Naruto noted. **

"It seems someone's gander some attention," Aphrodite sang out.

"Hey," Piper nudged Reyna with a smile.

Reyna looked mildly interested as well.

Athena's lips formed a thin line.

**This Camp Jupiter didn't seem so bad.**

**However, he was confused by something she said. "The Mary What?"**

**"Mare Nostrum," Jason said. "Our sea. It's what the Ancient Romans called the Mediterranean Sea."**

"It's not yours," Poseidon scoffed, "You don't even have a navy."

The Romans looked sheepish at that, not wanting to upset the Earthshaker.

**"Oh come on, I'm the son of Poseidon. What sea is going to give any boat I'm on trouble?" Percy asked.**

"A lot of things actually," Poseidon pointed out.

"Dad," Percy whispered in an embarrassed tone.

**"Percy, the Mediterranean is a different level of danger altogether," Reyna said with her frown still in place. "Roman demigods have been banned from crossing it for centuries. No hero in his right mind would cross it."**

**Naruto laughed. "Well it's a good thing we're all a little nuts, huh? Besides, I practically built the Argo II on my own. **

"Hey!" Leo shouted.

**Granted Annabeth and Leo showed me where to put some pieces, but it's sturdy."**

**"We have to hurry," Jason added. "I'm not sure about the giants, but Gaea is getting closer to being fully awake with each passing day. She's appearing in dreams, making full appearances and summoning more and more monsters. We have to stop the giants before they fully wake her up."**

"And we do…just it is a real hassle." Percy sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

**Naruto grudgingly agreed with Jason. Sure, Gaea might be lonely, but she was still bad news as far as history went. Her childhood sweetheart betrayed her, her grandchildren killed her children and she decided to marry the entity of Tartarus. Naruto had never been nor met Tartarus, but he was pretty sure that the father of Enceladus was ten times worse.**

Aphrodite let out a blissful sigh at that. Bitter romances were lovely to watch.

**"Seven half-bloods must answer the call," Annabeth said. "From both camps we need seven. Jason, Piper, Leo and I are four."**

**"What of him?" Reyna asked with a lazy point to Naruto.**

"I am not lazy." Reyna frowned.

**Naruto waved her off. "I'm pretty much a liaison from my home."**

**"Your home?" Reyna asked.**

**"Isle of the Letoides," he said. The table went quiet and he groaned. "Don't tell me you've never heard of it..."**

**Octavian bristled. "You dare say you come from the home of Apollo and Diana!?"**

"Oh Octy, shut up…" Apollo groaned.

**"Uh, yeah?" Naruto said as though the other blond were an idiot. **

"He is." Nico rolled his eyes at the dude that catapulted himself in a rain of fire.

**The guy rubbed him the wrong way and all sorts of negative emotions came from him. "I dunno how, but it is. Chiron confirmed it and so did my mother."**

**"Your mother?" Octavian asked with a snarl.**

**"Aphrodite," Naruto said with a grin. Octavian narrowed his eyes and Naruto could see the insult form in his mind. Before Octavian could speak, Naruto whipped out his Killer Intent and focused it all on Octavian alone. Annabeth would kill him if he used it on the whole area. "Do you have an **_**issue**_** with who my mother is?"**

"He's lucky he's dead." Aphrodite hissed dangerously, eyes narrowed. She'd have the boy going at it with a pig.

**"N-No," Octavian said as he began to sweat. Jason and Piper stared at Naruto worriedly while Percy and Reyna gave Octavian confused looks.**

**Naruto smiled and the pressure he was applying vanished. "Good. Then let's put it behind us, shall we?"**

**Octavian merely nodded, but still glared at the blond.**

"You do not make enemies with a ninja…they tend to snap your neck at night." Leo shook his head.

**"Okay..." Percy said slowly as he glanced at Naruto with a newfound respect. **

"Right?" Percy nodded. This Naruto ruled.

**"Well with me, Hazel and Frank that's three from Camp Jupiter. There's seven...and Naruto."**

"The eighth wheel." Leo nodded.

**"And Fuzzybritches," Naruto said with a snicker while Miu squawked. "And Miu."**

"So a team of ten, a nice round number." Jason nodded.

**Octavian seemed to recover from the KI blast. "What?! What about the debate!? The Senate must decide what should be done-!"**

"I hate politics." Percy muttered. It was a headache…and stupid.

**"Octavian, don't worry. We will have a meeting within the hour," Reyna said. She turned to the others. "Now, you're sure about this?"**

**"Yes," Percy said. "It's the only way we can manage to beat the giants."**

**"...Fine," Reyna said. "Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"**

**"Uh," Jason began. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Would it being alright if I showed Piper around New Rome? She's never been and we'll be back before the senate meeting."**

"Showing the home turf, smooth." Leo nodded, getting a flush from the couple.

**Reyna narrowed her eyes as the wind spirits that had served them began to clear the table. The way she answered nearly froze Naruto solid it was so cold. "Fine."**

Reyna looked embarrassed from her past jealously. Piper just gave her an assuring smile that it was okay.

**"Er, thanks," Jason said before he and Piper made a quick getaway. Percy looked ready to talk, but Octavian cut him off.**

**"I don't like this. That ship is untrustworthy," Octavian said.**

Apollo palmed his face.

**"I could take you aboard," Naruto said nonchalantly. The Romans looked at him as he crossed his fingers. "**_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**_**"**

**An exact replica appeared and the Romans gawked at it. The clone nodded to Naruto and then smiled mischievously at Octavian. "Would you care to join me and the captain?"**

**"...Yes," Octavian said. The look in his eye clued Naruto into his suspicion while the other Romans whispered. "But...what sort of magicks...?"**

"Jutsu." The demigods said.

**"Jutsu!" the clone and original said together with frowns. "It's a boon from being born on the isle of the Letoides."**

**That seemed to placate the Romans. Octavian looked more intrigued now than suspicious. "Is it...tell me more and show me this ship of yours."**

"For how I can harbor it as my own," Leo said in a Darth Vader tone.

**"Yeah, yeah. Come on, if you're good I'm sure Leo will give you a paper hat or something," the clone said as it led Octavian away.**

**"That was...interesting," Reyna said with veiled uncertainty in her eyes.**

**Naruto shrugged. "Meh, child's play. The real trick is making the clone listen to me."**

**"Wet Willy!" the clone said a good distance away.**

**"Confound you, **_**graceus**_**!"**

"Best. Naruto. Ever." Percy awed. He'd kill to have done that to Octavian!

"Amen, dude." Leo whistled.

**"See?" Naruto said with a smirk.**

**Percy shook his head and turned to Annabeth. "Okay, you **_**have**_** to catch me up."**

**Annabeth smiled. "Sure thing, **_**praetor**_**. How did that even happen?"**

**Percy chuckled and looked to a slightly disgruntled Reyna. "You mind if we...?"**

**"No," she said, though Naruto could tell she had no truth to her words. She waved him off dismissively. "Go off, but be back in time to meet with the senate."**

**"You got it," Percy said. The couple left with their hands intertwined. Naruto watched, a happy smile on his face, glad to see Annabeth out of her funk. **

Percy and Annabeth smiled at one another.

**Percy was an okay guy and he was glad that they reunited. He looked back at the slightly dismayed Reyna and got up from his seat with an exaggerated stretch while Miu took off to scour the camp.**

The love goddess was smiling widely, "I think something magical is going to happen~" she sang out.

Piper smiled, she liked it if it did happen. Reyna was a good girl for Naruto after all.

**Naruto turned to Reyna and rubbed the back of his neck while his other hand slipped into his jacket's pocket. "So, uh, wanna give **_**me**_** a tour? I mean, if it's not too much trouble..."**

**Reyna studied him for a moment before she nodded and rose from her seat. **

Reyna quirked her lip, yes, this was getting interesting.

**She dusted herself off and began to walk away. Naruto quickly caught up to her with both of his hands in his pockets.**

**"So...what **_**exactly**_** is a praetor?"**

Everyone gave Reyna sly smiles as she ignored them, "So, who is next?" she asked.

Leo looked ready to volunteer, but Frank intervened, "I'll do it." He said, snatching the book.

"Aw man." The son of Hephaestus pouted.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**4: Praetor, Kages, and Dramatic Escapes**

Frank cleared his throat and began to read.

**Reyna looked at Naruto for a moment, a bit amused by his question, before she answered. "A praetor is one of two leaders of the legion. Praetors are the highest ranks one can achieve in our forces, and it's a grand honor to become one. Not only are you in command, no one, only your fellow praetor, can overrule you."**

"I was one," Percy listed off, "Jason was one, and now Frank is one…" he trailed off with a grin.

"It normally isn't given out that easily." Jason told him.

"Uh-huh."

**"Oh, so it's like a Kage, but co-ruling...That's what I thought," Naruto said with a nod. Two leaders of a large force was clever, but one person had to rise above and make the hard decisions, especially when it came to the possible loss on a mission.**

"Very true," Reyna nodded, "And between all three of the last Praetor, I seem to have lasted."

Jason frowned at her. "Not my fault."

Percy shrugged, he honestly didn't want to job. He just went with the flow.

**"Ka-gay?" Reyna repeated the term with a frown. "What is that?"**

**"A Kage, or Shadow in English, is the highest rank of the hidden villages on the isle of the Letoides," Naruto said. He tapped his headband. "My village, Konoha, is led by the Hokage, or the Fire Shadow."**

**"Why is your symbol a leaf then?" Reyna asked.**

"Misconception?" Piper asked.

"Probably." Leo shrugged, "I'd rather have a fireball headband."

That got a few snorts and snickers.

**"Our village is known as Konohagakure no Sato." At her frown he elaborated. "The Village Hidden in the Tree Leaves. Sorry, I'm used to campers filled in on my village."**

**"I see...but why is your Kage called the fire shadow if you are in the trees?"**

**"Konohagakure no Sato is hidden in the Land of Fire, hence, Fire Shadow." Naruto grinned.**

"Oh," Piper said, "That makes far more sense."

**"And you have only one ruler?" Reyna frowned.**

**"Of the village, the Daimyo, sort of a royal emperor, is the ruler of the land while the Kage rule the ninja villages. We're sort of like mercenaries, but with much better training and loyalty to the Land of Fire first and foremost," Naruto said. "Our current Hokage is The Fifth, Tsunade Senju, granddaughter of the First and founder of Konoha and the grand-niece of the Second Hokage."**

**"So the role of Kage is hereditary?" Reyna asked.**

"So eager for information..." Piper teased her new friend.

"Of a foreign military? Of course." Reyna affirmed.

**"Oh, no. Anyone with enough drive, heart and strength can become Hokage. Tsunade only took the job because I convinced her to when I was twelve," Naruto's grin slipped into a wince and he rubbed his forehead. "Though I wish she didn't flick me so hard..."**

**Reyna smirked. "A little flick?"**

**"No, her flicks are like a super punch," Naruto said. **

"Girl power." Thalia grinned and all the demigoddesses were high fiving each other and smirking.

"Oh, right. That one chica with the big honk-_hands_." Leo quickly corrected himself at the look Piper was giving him.

**He grinned and looked ahead of him, lost in memories. "She's the strongest Kunoichi in the world and one of, if not, the best doctors on the Letoides isle."**

**"How strong exactly?" Reyna asked. She had a small worried frown on her face.**

**"Who's that strong dude with the club? Herc something?"**

Hera quirked her lip at that while Zeus rolled his eyes.

**"Hercules?"**

"Yeah, we don't like to talk about him." Percy confessed, the Seven all nodded in agreement. He was a jerk.

**"Yeah! That guy. She's probably as strong as him," Naruto said. **

"It's nice to see some balance in the world." Hera stated, brimming in feminine pride. The other goddesses nodded in agreement.

**He cupped his chin in thought. "Though now with sage mode, maybe I'm stronger than her...I'll arm wrestle her when I get back!"**

**Reyna arched a brow. "You would challenge your leader to an arm wrestling contest?"**

**"Old lady's got two major weaknesses!" Naruto held up his fingers as he listed them. "Booze and gambling! And I'm gonna exploit these to prove that I'm more than ready to be Hokage!" **

"Yes, arm wrestling her to become the new leader…how, quant." Athena pursed her lips.

"More like awesome!" Ares argued, "Now that's how a military should be. Might is right."

Athena just rolled her eyes.

**He tilted his head and hummed. "Do you hear barking?"**

**"It's just Aurum and Argentum," Reyna said. A silver and gold dog trotted up to either of her sides and she smiled at them. "They're automatons, but much more lively and my pets."**

**"They're kinda cute," Naruto said with a chuckle as he let his hand be sniffed by the golden dog. It slipped his hand over its head and Naruto scratched it, his nails unaffected by the metal. "Sort of like Akamaru...only not as fuzzy."**

"Metal tends to do that," Hazel nodded, "Though, with magic do you think I can make my own pet now?"

Frank pouted at her. "I can shapeshift."

"I know, but still, a real pet would be nice too. Arion doesn't like to be called a pet."

**"A dog you know?" Reyna asked while she scratched Argentum before they slipped away to go play with a few children nearby.**

**Naruto grinned and watched the dogs play. "Yeah, he's a ninken, about the size of a lion by now I'll bet."**

**"Interesting...tell me more about your homeland, you've peaked my curiosity," Reyna said.**

"Where do you fortify your forces?" Annabeth asked.

"Now, now, there's no need to flirt with me," Piper said in her best Naruto voice.

"Ha. Ha." Reyna rolled her eyes. "Comedians, the both of you."

**"Well, I can't tell you everything...ninja secrets and all," Naruto chuckled at his own joke. "Wouldn't want to start another war by accident."**

**"****_Another_**** war?"**

Ares wept, another war happened and he missed it! The shame on his bloodthirsty honor!

**Naruto's smile dimmed once more. "We've had four wars, I was born just a little after the Third Shinobi War and recently emerged victorious in the Fourth. Heck, my team and I beat the crazy rabbit chick that started it all."**

"Oh, yes, the daughter of Zeus." Hera noted while her husband frowned.

"Are we sure the Great Prophecy came a bit late for that?" Annabeth whispered to her mother.

The wisdom goddess made a wishy-washy motion with her hand.

**Reyna blinked. "I think I need a bit more than just a summary for this."**

**"Then we're going to need more soda or something because it's a ****_long_**** story," Naruto said. Reyna looked at him and he shrugged. "Goes back hundreds of years and there was a bunch of behind the scenes shadow stuff going on."**

"Ah! Cloak and dagger is boring!"

"More effective that way." Hermes smirked.

Ares glared at him. Cloak and dagger, while it did help start wars, also ended far too soon!

**Reyna shook her head and then turned in another direction. "This way, we can sit in Bacchus' garden."**

**Naruto nodded and followed her to the garden. He whistled at the sight of it. "Very nice...Mr. D used to just grow strawberries for us. Pollux helps with that now, nice guy."**

**"Mr. D?" Reyna asked.**

**"Er, Dionysus," Naruto said. He shrugged. "Apparently he was grounded by the big guy for something. Dunno, really. Wish I could've met him. I haven't really met a god, except for my grandmother."**

"Such a heartfelt and wonderful meeting it was." Poseidon praised. He turned to his rival. "Down with Romans, correct?"

Athena sniffed at him, not bothering to raise to his bait.

**Reyna's eyes narrowed. "That's right, you're a...legacy."**

**"Of Athena's," Naruto said with a grin. He noted her frown and his smile dimmed. "Is...is that a bad thing? I mean, I know that Octopus guy was going to say something and the statue god was a dick about it..."**

"He's still a dick." Percy muttered, but after a quick glance from Hestia, he winced and kept his mouth shut.

**"Minerva doesn't have ****_any_**** children in camp," Reyna said as she pet Aurum. Naruto blinked owlishly and she continued. "It's never happened, and with good reason. The vow of a maiden is treated very seriously in Roman history. That Athena broke hers...it's outrageous."**

Athena scowled at this, crossing her arms. "I was just smart enough to find a way around this."

"Yes, giving your boytoys wet dreams."

The war goddess gave the grinning Aphrodite a menacing glare.

**"Well, she didn't break the vow," Naruto said. Reyna gave him a look that told him she didn't believe him for a second. "Um, I mean, I guess in a way she did, but at the same time she's still a virgin. You know how she came to be right?"**

**"Jupiter ripped the unborn Minerva from Metis' womb and swallowed the babe whole, in fear it would be stronger than himself, but Minerva burst from his head fully grown and with his wisdom."**

"…I like the Greek side of things." Jason commented with slightly green cheeks. "Less graphic."

"And less disturbing." Annabeth shivered.

Zeus was averting his eyes from the gazes passed onto him.

**Naruto gaped. "Um...wow...That's, uh...that's very graphic."**

**"Is it not how Athena was born?" Reyna asked.**

**"Not exactly, but...damn." Naruto shivered. "Really glad that's not how Athena's story goes. Zeus turned Metis into a fly and swallowed her, much for the same reason as Jupiter did. Later he had a headache and an axe was used to split his skull, where Athena sprouted out, fully clad in armor and a spear in hand."**

**Reyna hummed and looked over to her dogs, both of which began to sniff around the garden. "I see...similar, but different in a few ways."**

"Checking to see if he's lying?" Hazel asked.

"Yes." Reyna nodded. Of course she would check.

**"Yes, but in both versions, she was born from Zeus or Jupiter's mind." Naruto tapped his head. "Brain baby."**

**"So she sprouts children from her mind?" Reyna asked. "That's even more outrageous than the thought of her actually conceiving a child."**

"It is not." Athena said darkly, glaring at Reyna, who eagerly avoided her intense gaze.

**"Yeah, but she's a goddess. An intellectual goddess," Naruto said. He leaned on the nearby railing and looked over New Rome. "She picked out the brightest minds and out came the brightest demigods. My Dad was one of them."**

"The gloating." Percy muttered with humor, getting a nudge from Annabeth.

**"Very interesting." Reyna stood next to him and looked over her city with a smile. "I love this place, it lets me see everything that I protect."**

**"I hear you. There's a mountain in Konoha where all the village leaders' faces are carved. I sit on a head from time to time just to collect my thoughts." Naruto smiled nostalgically and then laughed. **

"Aw, they're bonding." Aphrodite cooed.

"And soon things will blow up." Ares smiled.

Leo paled, "Aw man." He groaned, palming his face.

**"Man, I wonder if they'll get my sensei to take his mask off for his carving..."**

**"You were going to tell me about the war?" Reyna asked.**

**"Hm? Oh, right. Well, it didn't start with a war, it all started with a Princess named Kaguya and a tree with mystical powers..." Naruto began to tell Reyna about the Isle, or Hidden Continent, where he was born and the bloody past.**

**Naruto began with the princess who became the primordial entity known as the Jubi, a monster on par with the frighteningly powerful Typhoon. **

"That's a lovely image to paint." Apollo shivered.

"Yes, well, one less problem to worry about." Poseidon smiled.

"Oh get over yourself." Zeus scowled.

**Then he explained how the legendary Sage of Six Paths and his brother, both sons of Kaguya, stopped the Jubi and sealed it within the Sage. Then came the warring states, caused by the sage's sons Asura and Indra's clash over virtues. After that was the founding of Konoha and the fight between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage. He told her about the first war, which was inadvertently caused by the First Hokage, who distributed pieces of the Jubi to other villages and were wrongfully used to create human weapons.**

"Personal WMD's? What's not to love?" Ares questioned with a mighty laugh.

"Everything." Everyone in the room said to him.

"Meh, spoilsports."

**After the explanation of the First War came the story of the Second War, which as Reyna pointed out, mirrored the World Wars. Naruto said he was envious that the planet was more willing to stop fighting after two, considering there were still two more wars for his continent to be had. **

"I know!" Ares said forlornly. He would give anything for two more world wars, hell, he'd give an arm for one! Of course he'd just grow it back thanks to his godly powers, but that was beside the point.

**The Second War was very similar to World War Two, where factions were made to spread the land. It was in this war that his clan's village, Uzuoshigakure no Sato (the Land Hidden in the Whirlpools) was destroyed by two or three villages – admittedly Naruto meant to brush up on that, but got sidetracked with training and catching up with his friends – and it was in this war that Konoha gained several legends. Tsunade, the current Hokage, and her teammates Jiraiya and Orochimaru became known as the Densetsu no Sannin (literally the Legendary Three Ninja) for their fight against the tyrannical ruler of the Land of Rain, Hanzo the Salamander. **

"Now that sounds like my type of dude." Ares smiled.

"I am so glad we never have to deal with this stuff." Percy sighed.

"I know, monsters are one things, but super ninjas…that's all kinds of messed up." Nico agreed.

**A few months later Jiraiya met the Rain Orphans; Yahiko, Konan and Nagato Uzumaki, who Naruto told Reyna would come into play much later.**

**It was at this point that Naruto noted either Reyna was a good listener, or he was a very good storyteller. Either way, Naruto was glad to hear Reyna urge him on for more in her own way.**

"I loved a good war story before bed time back at home." Annabeth amusingly admitted.

"Hush you." Reyna glared at her friend.

**Then Naruto told Reyna about the Third War, where his father made a name for himself and the pieces for the Fourth War fell into place. The war was originally a cold war between all of the villages, again mirroring the world around them, but instead of coming to a peaceful solution, skirmishes broke out and the fires of war were lit. Naruto didn't elaborate much detail on the war, because it wasn't entirely the war that was important.**

**"How is the whole war not important?" Reyna asked.**

"Right?!" Ares demanded.

**"Well, I mean to most people it would be, but there were a few key factors that would have the most effects on my life," Naruto said. "First, my Dad's team, my sensei Kakashi, Rin and Obito, were ambushed after a vital mission that seemingly cost Obito his life and gave Kakashi his Sharingan eye."**

**Reyna, who was informed of the doujutsu in the story of Madara and Hashirama's battle, frowned. "Seemingly?"**

"Dammit, people die when they are killed, they don't come back to life!" Ares frowned.

Hazel cleared her throat and Frank glared at him.

The war god just scoffed at them. "Whatever, you're Pluto's, you don't count."

**"He survived, but Team Minato didn't know that. A few years later Rin had been kidnapped by Kirigakure and turned into a Jinchuriki of the Three Tails," Naruto said. "Kakashi went out to rescue her-"**

**"Your father didn't?" Reyna asked.**

**Naruto chuckled. "My dad was handing the soon to be Forth Raikage's ass to him on a platter at the time."**

"As he would." Athena praised, looking pleased at her son's ability.

**"I see..."**

**"Anyway, Kakashi went to rescue her, but she had him kill her to prevent being used against Konoha by Kirigakure," Naruto said. **

"Yes, off the super weapon." Ares shook his head. "Idiots. They could have kept it!"

"Oh Us, shut up already, Ares." Hermes groaned.

"Ha! Make me."

**"What they didn't know was that Obito witness the whole thing. Kakashi returned to Konoha with Rin's body later that night. He said her funeral was his near breaking point."**

**"What happened to Obito?" Reyna asked.**

**"We'll come back to that. Another factor was the sheer amount of genin that participated in this war. Children no older than ten were on the battlefield more than able adults were," Naruto said. "The sheer amount of dead kids would harden the determination of one young prodigy, Itachi Uchiha. Remember his name because he'll be important later."**

"So many names." Percy groaned, "It's like history class all over again."

"At least it isn't Ancient Greek history," Annabeth said with a smirk.

"I've got the hang of it." Percy protested.

"Percy, stop flirting and let Frank read." Thalia rolled her eyes while the couple blushed.

**Reyna nodded.**

**"It's from there that the war turned in Konoha's favor and soon, Jiji and the Tsuchikage agreed to a ceasefire," Naruto said. "Then, my dad was named Hokage and a few years later, I was born...and my parents died...Well, Dad did, dunno why mom didn't just come get me, maybe she knew I was needed at home, maybe she didn't." Naruto shrugged. **

"Of course I did." Aphrodite nodded.

"Bullshit." Apollo coughed into his hand. He rubbed his neck when Aphrodite glared at him. "Sorry, a tickle in my throat."

The love goddess scowled while Artemis grinned at her twin.

**"Doesn't matter now, can't change the past, but the future is always worth fighting for."**

**"A nice saying," Reyna said. "How did your parents die?"**

**"Obito." Naruto sighed. "His survival was caused by none other than Madara Uchiha himself."**

**"...From what you've told me he had to have lived to be well over a hundred years old," Reyna said with a frown.**

**"And he did," Naruto said. "He was also helped by another, Zetsu, the lost third son of Kaguya." Reyna's eyes widened slightly. "Zetsu had manipulated Madara, Obito...pretty much the entire continent all to bring his mother back to life."**

"Wow, gotta give him props." Apollo whistled, making some of the other gods nod in agreement.

**"Did he succeed?"**

**It was here that Naruto grimaced. "Yes."**

**"...What happened?"**

**"Remember the chakra tree I told you about?"**

**"Yes?"**

**"It came back, only now it had engulfed the entire continent and was sucking people dry," Naruto said. **

"Truly, trees are the symbol of all evil!" Hades declared, even going as far to thrust his finger in the air.

"They are not!" Demeter retorted furiously.

**"My team, Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke, were the only ones who weren't affected thanks to some past life thing I don't really understand."**

**"****_That's because you didn't listen to the Sage. ...And because you're a moron."_**** Kurama snarked.**

**_Oh who asked you?_**** Naruto thought in return. He stretched his arms up and let his back crack. "And that's pretty much my life up to a few months ago. Fought in the fourth world war, beat the crazy rabbit princess into space, and saved the world from being eaten by some energy sucking tree of doom."**

"Bravo," Hades clapped, "You show that foliage."

Nico just shook his head at his dad's antics.

**Reyna had a frown on her face. "I'm starting to wish you hadn't been born Greek..."**

"Ooh la la~!" the lady of doves sang.

Reyna turned a bit red at that while Piper grinned at her. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" Piper asked innocently, her smile not dying in the slightest.

Reyna glared at her friend with a new intensity.

**Naruto blinked in confusion. "Eh? Why?"**

**Kurama scoffed. ****_"Because you're an _****enemy****_, Naruto. Sage, I thought you were smarter than that!"_**

**_You're being a whole lot more mean than usual. Are you still mad about the chibi you thing?_**

**"****_...Yes."_**

"Positively adorable." Demeter commented with a smile. "I wouldn't mind some of those around the states."

"Well, Demeter, if you want a gift for Christmas this year..." Apollo began, but stopped when Artemis smacked his arm.

"No flirting."

Apollo grimaced. "Spoilsport."

**Naruto palmed himself in the head while Reyna stared at him in confusion. "Are you all right?"**

**"Just a headache," Naruto said with a grumble. Kurama let out an indignant growl at being called a headache while the blond Jinchuriki gave the praetor a light smile. "So, anything else you want to talk about?"**

**Reyna opened her mouth but was cut off by the sound of a whistle followed by an explosion and the ground shaking. **

The Romans looked at Leo, "Hey! I was under mind control!"

"So were Jason and Percy." Piper noted.

"Yeah, but they tried to kill each other. I was forced to do a bombardment. Big diff, Beauty Queen."

**They turned to see a tower of smoke rise up from a rounded building off in the distance on a hill. Another loud whistle had them looking up at the Argo II, where two more large projectiles came from to strike New Rome. Reyna and her dogs rounded on Naruto with glares.**

"Uh-oh." Frank muttered, Naruto was screwed now.

**"You come speaking of peace but instead attack us?" She asked him. "Diplomacy was just a cover?"**

**Naruto shook his head. "It's not like that! We came here to talk. I mean, we prepared for the worst, but we came without our weapons as instructed."**

**Reyna narrowed her eyes while Argentum and Aurum bared large sharp metallic teeth at him. Naruto's face betrayed nothing, but another explosion happened and the two dogs backed down. Reyna sighed in relief. "If you had been lying, Argentum and Aurum would've attacked you immediately."**

"That would have sucked." Percy nodded.

"Indeed, they enjoy tearing out the legs first."

Percy gave her an uneasy smile. "…Y-You're joking, right?"

Reyna just smirked.

**"I don't lie about things like this," Naruto said firmly. He kept his eyes on the Argo II and then looked over the street, where crowds formed to attack his friends. The railing bent under his clenched fist. "A mob!"**

"Pitchforks and torches!" Apollo gasped.

"And catapults." Leo added with a nod.

"Oh my!" Hermes snickered.

**"Pluto's pauldrons," Reyna swore under her breath as she followed his gaze. She hopped over the railing and dropped to the ledge a bit below. Naruto followed her and they descended to the streets. She scowled at the sight of the rioting Romans. "I hate my job."**

"It does get tiring." Reyna sighed.

"At least you have a second Praetor now." Frank told her.

"Thankfully so." The Roman daughter of war nodded.

**"Hey, nothing worth doing is ever easy," Naruto said lightheartedly despite the situation. He caught a Roman that tried to jump at him and slammed the citizen to the ground. "Down boy!"**

"Mom, stop smiling." Annabeth sighed.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Athena said, her face clear of any smirk that might have once been there.

**"They won't stop until the attackers are dead," Reyna said as she shoved back a few other rioting Romans. Argentum and Aurum snapped at the crowd's legs to keep them away while Reyna turned to her Greek companion. "After that, they'll call for the home of the attackers' blood. Rome defended itself with offense."**

"Which sucked, big time." Leo added, "I died!"

"Eh, you got better." Nico waved him off.

"It still hurts dude!"

Hazel nodded at this. "Big time."

**"Yeah, best defense and all that," Naruto said softly as he looked up at the trireme that carried him and the others here. "You do what you gotta do, I'm going to stop as many blasts as I can."**

**"How?" Reyna called after him as he ran off and jumped atop the crowd, running on her citizen's shoulders. The daughter of Bellona watched him leap to a building and scale his way to the rooftops. She shook her head. "Shame he's Greek."**

"She so wants that ninja." Aphrodite tittered.

"Mom, stop teasing her." Piper frowned at the giggling love goddess.

"Thank you, Piper." Reyna smiled.

"But I wouldn't be opposed to you dating him."

Reyna's cheeks burned pink, but she attempted to remain stony despite the teasing.

**"****_So, any brilliant ideas on how to stop the ballista missiles?"_**

**"Less sarcasm and more cooperation, Kurama," Naruto said aloud.**

**The fox huffed. ****_"Yeah, yeah. I'll send you some of my Yang chakra. Don't play around."_**

**"Taking all the fun out of it," Naruto mumbled. He felt the warmth of Kurama's chakra surge through him and let it encase him in golden flames. Naruto's blue eyes turned red and his pupils slitted. "Stage one...More...Complete Yang!"**

**"****_A bit overkill isn't it?"_**

**"We're not taking any risks!" Naruto growled as his eyes lightened to orange and the horns over his head lengthened. More chakra flooded through his system and the chakra around his chest split his jacket open. His chest became shrouded in darkness as a golden swirl settled itself over his navel and six golden magatamas rested at his collarbone. The jacket lengthened to fall behind Naruto's calves and the 'sleeves' covered his arms while black chakra protected the palms of Naruto's hands.**

"Ooh, that looks rather dashing." Aphrodite smiled, "Very royal-like."

Zeus grunted at that in dismissal.

Apollo crossed his arms and frowned. "Mine's still cooler..."

"We don't know that for sure!" Aphrodite retorted. "Mine still hasn't met Thalia, and she's a hunter, so maybe he saves her!"

"Not likely," Artemis snorted in disagreement.

"Besides, Mom, Reyna seems to have a better chance in this one." Piper chimed with a smirk to the red faced Praetor.

"True...A Harem!"

"No." Hera, Athena, Artemis, Thalia, Annabeth and Piper said unanimously, venom in their voices.

Apollo sighed. "Ah, harems...the funniest of relationships when it comes to manga heroes..."

**"****_I can keep the Yin chakra out indefinitely in this form, but if you go to Biju mode, we'll have five to ten minutes at best before the Yin chakra seeps in."_**

**"I think that's all I'll need if it comes to it," Naruto said. He held his hands at his sides and extended his pointer fingers. Two small finger-sized arms appeared on either finger and began to rotate chakra over the tip. "Mini-Rasenshuriken."**

"I ordered a medium!" Hermes exclaimed in outrage.

**Two more missiles were fired from the Argo II and Naruto's hands reared back before he flung them forward and sent the two miniature Rasenshuriken forward. The attacks impacted with the missile and then exploded outwards, making a sphere easily double the size of a normal Rasenshuriken's impact would make. **

"...Or, you know, small is fine..." Hermes mumbled at the effective attack.

Zeus, Jason and Thalia had small pouts on their faces. Why couldn't they do that, again? Why didn't they ever think of that?

"The bombs bursting in air!" Ares sang with a salute.

"No. You're terrible," Apollo said flatly.

"Come on!" Ares protested. "It was pretty patriotic, that counts for something, right?"

"No!"

**The ballista missiles were obliterated and Naruto leapt to another rooftop higher than his previous perch to scan the area.**

**Annabeth, Percy, Jason and Piper were on the ladder while the blond jerk from earlier pointed and shouted something at them. **

"He stole my stuffed animal!" Leo said in a high-pitched voice. He rolled his eyes "Man, I hated him."

"We all did." Percy said as the others nodded in agreement. Apollo had a grimace on his face at Percy's next words. "At least he's dead now."

**The crowds' bloodlust nearly made Naruto stumble back. The Romans were a lot like shinobi, very patriotic. Naruto admired them for that, but he wouldn't condone needless bloodshed or violence.**

"I hate him even more now." Ares surmised with a frown.

**"That reminds me, when we get out of this, Leo is so dead," Naruto said to himself.**

"Not my fault!" Leo whined.

**"****_Aw, but I like that one. He makes things explode!"_**

"Fox dude's on my side, oh yeah!" The son of fire cheered with a grin.

**Naruto let a small smirk cross his face. "True...Eh, I'll just sick Nyssa on him when we get back to Camp."**

Leo paled. "Not cool…"

"It'll be effective." Piper nodded.

"I mean, you were far worse than anyone else when I got back."

Piper punched the mechanic in the arm for that one.

"Ow! See?"

**He sent another Mini-Rasenshuriken at another ballista missile and then turned just in time to catch a spear thrown at him. Naruto arched a brow in amusement and spun the spear around.**

**"I think you misplaced this, here catch!" He tossed the spear back so it landed in between the thrower's legs. More spears were sent at him, but Naruto just used his chakra arms to swat them away while he focused on stopping the ballista strikes.**

"Leave me, as you are nothing before my glowy arms of doom!"

"Percy, stop." Annabeth giggled as he grinned.

**"Ugh, when this is over, I'm tearing that giant bow apart." Naruto grumbled. A rock suddenly launched over his head at the Argo and Naruto quickly destroyed it with a Mini-Rasenshuriken. He turned around to see several catapults at the ready on a hill in the distance. "How'd those get set up so fast?"**

"We are very proficient," The Romans said as one.

Nico shook his head. "…Okay, I don't get scared easily, and that was scary."

**"FIRE!"**

**"Dammit!" Naruto growled and turned his attention on the Roman counter-attack. He was on that roof for about five minutes before someone joined him. After he destroyed another boulder, Naruto turned with a fist at the ready to strike.**

**"Whoa!" Frank, the boy that reminded him of Choji, held his hands up. "I'm on your side. You gotta get to the Argo. Hazel and I will give you some cover."**

"Go!" Apollo cried with a heavy Austrian accent. "Get to the boat!"

Hermes shook his head. "Not the same."

Apollo clicked his tongue. "Yeah, you're right."

**Naruto looked and saw the Argo II start to fly off while the missiles stopped firing and then looked back at Frank. "Not happening. You and Hazel get going and I'll cover you."**

**"How are you going to do that?" Frank asked in disbelief.**

**Naruto gave him a feral but wry smirk. "Oh, I have an idea. Now get going."**

"I wonder what he's going to do?" Annabeth said, curious about his idea.

Athena eagerly awaited what came next, though her face was indifferent.

**"You first." Frank said as he started to shift into a different form. His body lengthened and became covered in scales, his arms and legs shortened, and his face turned more lizard-like. When he was finished, it was obvious that Frank had turned into a dragon. While Naruto stared in mild surprise at the feat, Frank roared and dove into the crowd below.**

Frank smirked.

"Well, looks like the Am Drag is in the house." Leo snickered.

"I'm the Canad Drag, thank you very much." The son of war corrected sternly.

**"...Awesome." Naruto said with a blink. He grinned. "But he's not the only one who can change. Kurama, we need to be the bigger target."**

"…Why do I feel I'm not going to like this?" Annabeth frowned.

"Because Naruto is like me?" Percy suggested.

Annabeth nodded in agreement before her eyes suddenly widened in horror. "That isn't a good thing!"

"Says you," Percy said with a grin.

**Kurama growled. ****_"Somehow, I just knew you were going to say that,"_**** he said.**

**Despite the obvious disapproval, Naruto felt more Yang chakra fill his system. Naruto closed his eyes and clenched his fists as he ran to the edge of the building and jumped up. He felt his cloak expand out around him into something big. Bigger than a giant. **

Percy whistled. "That's pretty big."

"That's what she said!"

The gods groaned at Ares' obvious and tasteless joke.

**Bigger than anything that wasn't an immortal!**

"Okay, maybe a bit…oversized." Thalia blinked in surprise.

**The way the Romans stopped all movement to stare at the mountain-sized nine-tailed fox that shone just as bright as the sun. **

Apollo glared at the reader. "Hey! No one is as bright as me!"

"You are not bright," Athena said with a smirk. "You're blindingly stupid."

"Oh, ha-ha, like you've never used that one before!"

**Flames of chakra flickered from the fox's body and black tribal-like markings covered the fox's form and the tails waved pensively. Hidden in the head of the form was the cloaked Naruto, his eyes the same color as the fox's. Naruto lifted his right hand and the right claw-like hand of the fox followed suit.**

The audience was stunned.

"…Ninjas are just awesome." Leo breathed.

"How does that make him a ninja?" Frank asked.

Leo looked at him with an arched brow. "Dude, does it matter?"

Frank opened his mouth, but came up with nothing.

"Exactly," Leo said. He grinned. "Naruto has a giant fox form, your argument is invalid."

Percy, Annabeth and Piper snorted at the joke.

Ares looked at Aphrodite. "I gotta fight him."

"No!"

"But Dite, look at that!" Ares whined. "I wanna crush it beneath my foot!"

"More like get smacked around by those glowing tails." Apollo mumbled, still a bit displeased with the comparison with the fox form and his domain.

**"This'll get their attention. Now, here's a gentle breeze..." Naruto slammed his hand down and the fox's followed suit. A new crater filled the street of New Rome, one that would be left alone so that the Romans would forever remember the beast that came to the Argo II's aid and later changed the world as they knew it. **

"Bah, just a tourist trap." Hermes huffed.

"Or a claw shaped swimming pool." Percy noted.

"…Genius!" Apollo proclaimed.

Athena snorted. "I doubt it."

**A giant gust of wind accompanied the force of the impact. The force of the wind made the Romans stumble back as it washed over all of them.**

**A whistle made the fox look up at a boulder that was heading for its head. A tail shot out and wrapped around the boulder before it was crushed into dust. Naruto crossed his arms, but the fox didn't follow suit.**

"Ooo, he's mad now~!" Leo sung out. He snickered. "That's his serious look."

**"That wasn't very nice..." Naruto frowned. He let his arms drop to his side and reared his hands back when three more were sent his way. A small ball of energy appeared in front of the fox's snout. Naruto moved his hands forward and the fox's mouth opened, sucking the ball of energy in. Naruto's eyes narrowed as Kurama roared excitedly.**

**"****_Let's show the world what _****real****_ power looks like!"_**

The gods bristled at that. What were they? Chopped liver?

**"Bijudama."**

**The fox's mouth slammed shut around the energy and then opened wide. A black orb shot out and encased the three boulders that were at the peak of their ascent, well above the city's rooftops. The orb expanded into three times its original size, nearly double the size of the fox and scraping the rooftops of New Rome. The explosive boom that followed shattered all the windows in the city, temples and in the camp a good distance away. All of the Romans had to cover their ears while the matter that used to make up the air and boulders were obliterated.**

"…It has potential." Zeus waved off the blow, as murmurs of begrudged agreement spread amongst the gods. Though they did look a bit unnerved that a demigod had that kind of power at his disposal.

"That's messed up." Frank gaped at the words he read. All the demigods agreed with him on that one. Naruto was monstrously powerful. An enemy like that would not be fun to face off against.

**Naruto sighed as the Romans started to fidget nervously, but didn't run away as he'd hoped. They were too stubborn to know when to retreat. **

"Not very smart." Athena looked quite smug at the moment. She was inwardly cheering on her legacy.

**He didn't want to do this, but a more appropriate show of force was going to be needed. Naruto had the fox's right hand rise up and a large blue sphere started to grow. White energy built around the sphere and began to rotate. Once the sphere had eclipsed the fox in size, Naruto leapt up and scoured New Rome and the surrounding area. He spotted an area that looked near dead.**

"No…" Ares said as rage built up in his features. "He wouldn't dare!"

"I don't think he knows what they are," Athena said as her smug smile grew into a gleeful smirk.

Aphrodite tapped her chin thoughtfully. "My other is right, he really might be stronger than his immortal brothers."

"Dite!" Ares complained.

**"That'll do." Naruto reared his right hand back and then threw it forward. The Romans followed the massive Rasenshuriken as it was sent soaring towards Naruto's target. It struck the earth and the air went still for only a moment before a giant explosion, even larger than the last one, rocked the area. **

"No, no, no!" Ares cried out, veins bulging in his neck as he seethed.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Hermes chanted in return. Finally, some payback!

**Naruto used the explosion to drop out of his biju mode and run after the Argo II.**

**_Another flawless escape,_**** Naruto thought with a smirk.**

**The force of the explosion was felt all the way on the Argo II, which prompted the five demigods and one satyr aboard the ship to run to the back of the ship and look back at New Rome. **

**Percy's jaw popped open at the dome he saw. "...The Field of Mars...Gone..."**

"I. Hate. Him." Ares fumed with a seething look on his face. Worse part was, he couldn't pick a fight with him!

Athena brimmed with pride at the moment, looking radiant. "Such a good legacy."

**Leo's eyes widened and a grin spread across his face. "Awesome explosion."**

**"One thing I'll agree with you over, Valdez." Coach Hedge grinned. "A wonderful show of force."**

"At least one of them has a redeeming quality." Ares grunted, still getting over the destruction of the Fields of Mars. He may be Greek, but they were still his fields dammit!

**Annabeth and Piper both simultaneously slapped their hands to their heads.**

"That looks painful," Hazel said innocently. Her comment earned her minor glares from her friends.

**"Only Naruto." Piper frowned while Annabeth rubbed her temples.**

**"That was Naruto?" Percy asked.**

**"Dude, Naruto don't play around," Leo said informatively. He nodded. "Blondie's like a super ninja or something."**

**"...Okay, really glad he's your nephew right now," Percy said.**

"We all are," Percy said in agreement to his other as the room shared his sentiments.

**Annabeth smirked at him. "Jealous?"**

**"No. Just glad he's on our side."**

**The two members of the Quest to Rescue Hera both shivered at the thought of Naruto turning on them.**

**"Talk about Game Over," Leo mumbled.**

Leo blanched at the thought. "More like super hax."

Leo's comment made the other demigods nod in agreement.

Ares, however, rubbed his chin. "I dunno, sounds like a good time."

**Coach Hedge snorted. "Please. He's a son of Aphrodite. What real damage could he do?"**

Aphrodite glared at the image of the disbelieving satyr. Rude!

**While Piper scowled at him, Leo stared at the satyr. "...Coach, he just made what looked like a nuke."**

**"You don't know that was him. It could've been anything." Coach Hedge shrugged. "Who knows? Romans are weird."**

"We don't have that," Reyna quickly said.

Annabeth gave her a small look. "Uh, Imperial gold fire bombs?"

"…That was Octavian." Reyna crossed her arms defensively. "I had nothing to do with that."

**"I know one thing, he's so chewed out when he gets here," Annabeth said with a sigh before she turned to Leo. "Tell us again what happened."**

**"Alright, alright. It was like I was being controlled..."**

"Mind controlled!"

"We get it!" The rest of the Seven groaned at Leo's defensive proclamation.

Leo crossed his arms and huffed. "Good. Wasn't my fault..."

"Who's next?" Frank asked as he closed the book and held the page with a finger.

"I'll do it," Nico said with an indifferent shrug.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**5: The Crash Landing**

* * *

Nico sighed before he began to read. "Chapter five..."

**Naruto continued to run at one hundred and eighty-five miles per hour, something that he considered a leisure pace while a 'normal' human being would consider it jaw-dropping, **

"Meh," Hermes shrugged. "That's my normal jogging speed."

"Seems you're still trying to keep up with me." Apollo gloated.

"Oh, that was one time!"

**until he saw the speck that he recognized as the Argo. He jumped up and landed on the Argo II's deck with a light thump. **

"Wow, way to Superman that leap." Leo whistled.

"I wonder how he does with tall buildings?" Percy hummed and looked at Jason.

The blond frowned. "No."

**He let out a light sigh as he took in the feeling of the wind brushing across his skin. A pleased cry made him look up and hold his arm out. Miu landed and crooned at him, which earned her a light brush over her beak from a finger.**

**"I'm fine, thanks for worrying," Naruto said softly to the eagle. The eagle crooned under his touch, but suddenly flew from his arm.**

**"Naruto!" Naruto turned to the sound of his sister's voice and gave her a smile. Piper pulled him into a tight hug and he hugged her back, glad that she and the others were safe. **

"Aww." The demigods playfully chorused while Piper smiled.

**When she released him, Piper glared daggers at him and grabbed him by his whiskered cheeks – known by their cabin to be one of (if not the only) his sensitive spots – and tugged on them. Not stretching, per say, but no one likes having their face gripped tightly.**

There were a few winces around.

"Okay, that has to hurt." Thalia blanched.

**"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Naruto whimpered as Piper 'abused' him.**

**"You had me worried sick! ****_None_**** of your clones were on the Argo once we got here!" Piper frowned heavily. Not to mention Leo's crazed chants of 'die Roman, die'. That was unsettling.**

Leo whistled innocently as the Romans frowned at him.

"What? It was mind control!"

"Still..." Jason frowned. "That was a bit…creepy."

**"Pweashe shlet go of my fashe." Naruto pleaded. Piper huffed and released his cheeks, crossing her arms with a glare locked on him. Naruto took a wary step back and rubbed his face. "Mean, Imouto-chan..."**

"Truly, the most evil of all sisters." Leo nodded, making Nico snort.

"Please, you should meet my sister. Way more evil."

"Excuse me?" Hazel gave him a look.

"I meant our godly sister. She's a real piece of work. Trust me." The son of Hades scowled at the memory as he continued to read.

**"You have some explaining to do," Piper said, undeterred by his pout.**

**Naruto frowned and closed his eyes, searching through the many memories of his clones that he was now aware had popped. It happened when he made too many at once, the memories sent to him were jumbled and difficult to separate, so he never registered the clones' dispelling. The whiskered blond sent a glare to the innocently whistling Leo.**

**"You roasted them all? Really?" Naruto asked flatly.**

"A flaming son of Aphrodite?"

"Ares!" The love goddess glared heatedly as her boyfriend laughed. She huffed. "There's nothing wrong with same-sex romances!"

"Olympian practiced and approved!" Apollo agreed.

**"I was being mind-controlled or something!" Leo protested, though he sounded exhausted. Naruto pursed his lips in thought, he took note of Jason's supporting nod and Frank's disbelieving frown. Frank also took another step closer to the Karui-lookalike, Hazel.**

"Who?" Hazel questioned.

"A ninja, probably." Frank shrugged.

"…That's not helpful." The gem user pouted.

**"Okay...Still, there's should be punishment," Naruto said, scratching his sore cheeks. Naruto snapped his fingers and a gleam appeared in his eye. "Got it! A spar, you and me, once we're a bit further from Jupiter...one on one and no powers."**

Leo let out a whimper, he was more a thinker guy. He left the brawn stuff to the other guys.

**Leo grimaced and looked at Jason, who unlike him had prior hand-to-hand training and sparred with Naruto constantly before Naruto went back to debrief his village leader. Leo remembered the aftermath of being thrashed around by Naruto in Medea's Mall. The skin around his left eye was still a bit darker than it used to be.**

"Like a panda?"

Leo glared at Percy for the "oh-so-innocent" question.

**"I'll only use one attack." Naruto added and Leo suddenly felt a lot more relieved...until he remembered Naruto had ****_obliterated_**** the Fields of Martians or whatever it was called.**

Jason and Percy both felt a chill go down their spines.

Thalia smirked. "I think I know what it is."

Leo, who remembered what happened to them in Apollo Naruto paled. Oh, that was going to hurt.

**Speaking of, the smith demigod frowned and crossed his arms. "I might not have been in control at first, but I saw you change into that giant golden fox...Is that something every ninja you know can do?"**

"No." Ares pouted. "If there were more people like that, more wars would happen! That would be awesome!"

**Naruto blinked while all eyes turned to him in question, save for Coach Hedge, who wandered off when he realized there wasn't going to be any real violent punishment. The whiskered teen rubbed his neck, closed his eyes and laughed sheepishly.**

**"Ah, yeah...forgot I would have to explain that," he said.**

**"Naruto," Annabeth said sternly. The blond in question chuckled nervously under Piper and Annabeth's combined gazes.**

"This is where you beg for mercy," Percy said as he and Jason shared a wise nod.

Their girlfriends smirked together.

**"Uh, long story short, I have this...entity sealed inside me," Naruto said.**

**"...Entity?" Piper repeated flatly.**

**Naruto arched a brow and looked up in thought. "Yeah, I think that's much kinder than calling him a demon."**

**"****_Thank you,"_**** Kurama said with gratitude.**

**_No problem_****. Naruto noted that he was met with gazes of disbelief. "...Oh, what, Greek Gods being real is okay but demons-Er, entities of malevolent energy aren't?"**

"He's got a point." Percy nodded. He had seen some freaky stuff. Who knew what else was out there?

**"...And the giant fox?" Annabeth asked, silently agreeing with his argument.**

**"It's what Kurama looks like...only golden," Naruto said with a shrug. "It's a giant power boost that lets us take on anyone."**

**"And blow up a lot of stuff?" Percy asked, amusement twinkling in his eyes.**

**"Yeah, more or less." Naruto nodded.**

**"...So it's like going Super Saiyan?" Percy's grin widened.**

"Oh gods, Percy!" Annabeth threw her hands in the air.

"DBZ is childhood!" Percy argued sternly.

"What's DBZ?" Hazel asked.

Percy was stunned by her question. He slowly turned to Frank with a grave stare. "We need a DVD box set, stat!"

**"Percy..." Annabeth groaned. Since he had seen what Naruto could do, he wouldn't shut up about the comparison between her nephew and the Japanese cartoon he loved so dearly.**

**"He turned gold and blew stuff up!" Percy crossed his arms and gave a firm nod. "Like a Super Saiyan."**

"He didn't scream enough." Ares objected.

"…No." Percy glared at his godly rival.

Ares scowled back at him. "Yeah, I like that show too, Prissy. Is that a problem?"

"Yes!"

"Enough." Zeus rubbed his eyes as the god and demigod glared at each other. This was going to be a pain to deal with later on, he could just feel it.

**"Or some kind of Super Saiyan God." Leo added.**

**Percy frowned. "That just sounds stupid, and if anything, it would be Goku that became a Super Saiyan God."**

**"True," Leo said with a nod.**

**Kurama snarled. ****_"I am BETTER than some stupid wannabe monkey's! Those dumb apes are only fifty feet high and can't control themselves! I'm sixteen times that height AND I can control myself just fine!"_**

"Nonsense, giant monkeys rule!" Apollo argued.

"Ugh, they're disgusting!" Artemis retorted.

"You're just mad about poop incident."

"…We swore never to talk about that!"

"...I kind of want to hear this story," Thalia said.

"I'll gladly-Ow! Sheesh..." Apollo glared at his embarrassed twin for the silver arrow in his arm.

**Naruto just blinked at Kurama's rant. ****_...When did you measure yourself?_**

**Kurama scoffed. ****_"I was easily twice the size of the Rikudo when I was but a kit–"_**

**_An adorable kit._**** Naruto snickered, earning odd looks from the others.**

**Kurama growled at Naruto's comment. ****_"Shut up. I compared myself to mountains in the area."_**

"That's logical." Athena nodded.

"I wonder if he ever got hungry?" Percy wondered.

"He most likely ate humans." Reyna commented nonchalantly.

"Dark much?" Thalia asked her, making Reyna just shrug. She was only guessing after all.

**"Naruto, why are you laughing?" Annabeth asked.**

**Naruto wiped a tear out of his eye and chuckled. "Kurama."**

**"The demon?" Piper asked with a frown. She wasn't sure how to feel about a demon sealed inside her brother and planned to find out who did it so she could give that person a piece of her mind...Or make that person walk off a cliff, she hadn't decided yet.**

"Yeah, kinda dead already. So…"

"Ha-ha, Nico." Piper rolled her eyes.

**"Entity." Naruto corrected his sister. He clapped his hands together as Miu landed on his shoulder. "So, to wrap up. Giant fox sealed in my gut, big power up, and uh...yeah, that's it."**

**"I have more questions," Piper said with a frown. "How did it get sealed? Who sealed it? And when?"**

**"Fuinjutsu, my dad, and when I was born," Naruto answered simply with a nod. He blinked at the disbelieving looks on their faces and frowned. "What?"**

**"My last question is why?" Piper asked with a frown.**

**Naruto smiled proudly, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "To protect the village."**

"Ah, patriotism, the best way to start a fight." Ares grinned fondly.

**Jason, Hazel and Frank nodded in agreement to this. The Romans understood that sort of patriotism, the dedication to protect one's home despite the consequences. Many Romans damned themselves and their families to protect Rome, and many Legionnaires did even worse when it came to Camp Jupiter.**

"That's…nice?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, real nice." Nico muttered dryly.

Reyna huffed as she crossed her arms. "There is nothing wrong with that."

**The Greek demigods couldn't have reacted any more differently.**

**Leo's jaw was popped open in disbelief. He remembered Naruto's story in the sewer a few months back, about being cursed with power. It made sense now, how Naruto made it his own. Leo's respect for the blond rose immensely.**

"Yeah, I'll stick to my fire powers." Leo nodded.

**Piper just stared at her brother. She knew Naruto was an orphan and that his father died when he was born, but she didn't know it was connected to protecting the village. Still, she wanted more details on the whole thing...And she really wished she could have a chat with her mother about ****_why_**** Naruto was left alone for so long.**

Piper turned to look at Aphrodite, but the goddess of love averted her eyes.

**Annabeth shifted uncomfortably at his answer, having heard the story before, especially after her (in hindsight) bias against Jason and other Romans. The daughter of Athena knew it was smart for the village, but the toll it took on Naruto was still painfully obvious. Naruto lacked a lot of social skills, tact, and knowledge that most parents would provide to their children. Throw in the fact that he was a ward of a state that encouraged child soldiers and you had a grunt that was begging to be killed on the battlefield. **

"Hehe, grunts."

Athena scowled at her brother. "Honestly, must you talk?"

"I'm forced to be here, so I do." The war god shot back.

**If it weren't for Naruto's determination and hard work that made him so strong, Annabeth highly doubted she'd have been able to meet him. Knowing it was because of something one of her siblings did made a lot more conflicting feelings and thoughts come up.**

"Yeah, that puts a real damper on things." Thalia nodded.

**Percy, like his girlfriend, was torn between understanding and being disgusted with Naruto's father. **

"Oh really now?" Athena glared at the son of Poseidon.

"It's kinda messed up." Percy told her honestly.

**He would do anything for Camp Half-Blood, but putting a demon inside a baby? If Percy even knew how to do that ****_and_**** had no other obvious choice, he wouldn't even consider it. He would stubbornly find another way. The sad acceptance in Naruto's eyes was unsettling to him.**

"Well, this turned awkward." Nico noted while he continued to read. Some in the room shifted a bit while they thought over Naruto's situation.

**Naruto shifted awkwardly, uncomfortable with the emotions that filled the ship. "So, um," he began, trying to clear the air and change the subject. "What's our new plan, considering Leo messed the other one up?"**

"Dude! Not cool!" The son of Hephaestus frowned.

**"Hey!" Leo frowned at the blond. All that respect he just got? Yeah, it's gone now. That was slimy and uncalled for!**

"I agree with the handsome one!"

Piper just shook her head at Leo's proclamation.

**"And what happened to you, Flyboy?" Naruto asked, now noticing that Jason had a bandage around his head.**

**Jason grimaced and his hand went to the bandage. "Some of the Romans...weren't happy."**

Thalia's lip turned downward as she looked at Jason. "Care to explain more?"

"No." Jason frowned.

**Naruto gave him a dry look. "No, really? What gave you that idea?"**

**"The brick thrown at my head," Jason said. Piper gave him a curious look that he shrugged at. It was better in Jason's opinion to say that than explain to Naruto that the brick had been meant for his sister. Jason didn't want Naruto to get mad and run ****_back_**** to Camp Jupiter. According to Leo, that explosion was no joke.**

"Taking that brick for me. My hero." Piper playfully swooned, complete with fluttering lashes.

Jason just offered her a small smile in return.

**Naruto nodded in understanding. "Yeah, the fogginess will go away in an hour or so. The headaches should pass in a day."**

**Piper's head swiveled back to Naruto. "How did you know he was foggy?"**

"I'm sure he's been hit on the head before," Annabeth said.

"Yeah, by that pink thing." Thalia spat venomously.

**"Uh...So that plan?" Naruto asked as he ignored Piper's curious stare. There might have been an incident or two with a drunken villager when he was young, but that was all water under a bridge.**

"That shouldn't be water under anything!" Piper argued, a big frown on her face.

**Annabeth crossed her arms and frowned at him. "No, I'm with Piper on this. How do you know what Jason is feeling after he was hit by a brick?"**

**Kurama chuckled again. "Everything seems to be going well for you. Ah, karma, how it punishes those that mock me."**

"I'm still waiting for it to kick in." Ares grunted in disappointment. Why did it never work for him?

**And with that, Naruto gained a brilliant idea. Annabeth and Piper, while scary in their own right, were still only teenage civilian (compared to Naruto, anyway) girls. If there was one thing Naruto learned about teenage girls from the few girlfriends he'd had in the past few months, it was this: they loved cute things.**

"…Oh no." Thalia shook her head. She figured it out.

**_I need your chakra, we're going to do something risky,_**** Naruto thought to his friend.**

**Kurama sighed. ****_"Yeah, yeah fine – wait, what do you mean 'we'?"_**

**Naruto looked Annabeth and Piper square in the eyes, lifted his right hand up and placed his left over the hidden seal on his stomach. His left hand latched onto his stomach and with a slight shift to the right, chakra flared from him and Kurama. A cloud of smoke, a common effect of chakra discharge, suddenly encased the blond and the other demigods tensed.**

**Jason lifted his hand and willed the wind to clear the smoke away to reveal...A toddler with a fox hanging from his arms? Jason, Leo, Percy and Frank stared in disbelief at the sight.**

"...He's _brilliant_!" Leo awed.

"No way that'll work." Percy snorted. Annabeth was too hardcore to fall for that.

**The toddler barely came up to Jason's knee, his hair a mess of blond that looked like he'd just rolled out of bed from a nap. His blue eyes were wide and watery. He wore a white T-shirt with an orange spiral on it and dark shorts. The three whisker marks on his cheek looked larger than when he was a teenager, and his face had suddenly regained a lot of childish chub.**

**The fox kit in his arms, dangling pitifully, was about the size of a full-grown cat, but looked larger due to the boy that carried him. It had long rabbit-like ears and nine tails. The fox had red eyes that were slitted, and the right seemed to be twitching violently.**

**"I fucking hate you, Naruto Uzumaki," the fox growled.**

"He's adorable." Artemis muttered under her breath. Apollo grinned at her and the goddess flushed. "_Silence_."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. Now be silent."

Apollo continued to grin as he looked back at the screen

**"Quiet, Kurama." Naruto hissed at it before he looked up at Piper and Annabeth, both of whom were still staring at him and his fox friend in surprise, with wide watery eyes. "Neechan, Oba, I'm sowwy..."**

Apollo bit his fist. "He even W'd the R's."

"That's just brilliant." Hermes praised.

"Why, thank you!" Aphrodite smirked at the praise.

**"Does he really think that's going to work?" Percy asked dryly. Jason nodded in agreement with him.**

**Leo just stared in awe. "That...genius bastard..."**

**"I'm with Leo on this one," Frank said as he looked at his girlfriend. Her eyes had widened immensely and a gleam he hadn't seen before entered them.**

**A second later and Hazel joined Piper and Annabeth as they surrounded Naruto.**

"Like pumas before a deer!"

"Shut up, Thalia." Annabeth glared at the grinning hunter.

**"Who could be mad at you?" Annabeth asked with a sweet smile as she picked the transformed Naruto up and hugged him while Piper cuddled the fox kit. Naruto hugged her around the neck with a soft smile and then opened his eyes to meet the other boys. His sweet smile turned into a wry grin and he winked at them.**

"Oh, now he's just rubbing it in!" Percy cried. Why that little-!

**"...No way," Jason said as he watched Piper rub her nose against the weird-looking fox kit's while Hazel and Annabeth cooed at Naruto.**

**"Dude's my hero," Leo said with jealously obvious in his voice. He suddenly grinned. "Screw being his wingman, I can go with the babysitter approach!"**

"Okay, I admit, that's not a sound plan. But only a little." Leo rubbed the back of his neck. At least he had a girlfriend now.

"There is some merit to that plan." Apollo gave a thoughtful hum as he rubbed his chin.

**"I don't want to know what that is, but I want to know what he did to Annabeth," Percy said, disbelief written on his face. He'd only seen this side of her when it came to dogs, or trained monster canines like Cerberus or Mrs. O'Leary. Seeing Annabeth coo and coddle a toddler that was once older than them...It was ****_weird_****.**

"Really, really weird." Percy nodded in agreement.

**"It's like all their brains have suddenly shut down," Frank said, torn between being fascinated at the sight or jealous that his girlfriend was obsessing over a fox kit.**

**"Come on, let's go back into the Argo and we can make a plan and have some cookies," Annabeth said to her nephew while Hazel cuddled the fox and Piper tickled the kit's whiskers. The three girls passed the stunned demigods, giggling and cooing as they did. Naruto made eye contact with Percy as they passed and winked again.**

**"...I don't know whether to admire him or hate him," Percy said with genuine confusion. He would ****_kill_**** to be able to make Annabeth not be angry with him like that.**

Percy had a hopeful look on his face.

"Sorry Seaweed Brain, but like I told you before. I'll never make it easy for you." The blonde girl smirked at him.

Percy's hopeful look fell and he pouted. "Yeah, I know."

**Leo patted the son of Poseidon on the shoulder as he walked by. "He's the ultimate wingman, dude. And since you've got a girlfriend, stay away. I called dibs."**

**"...Are they really going to give him cookies?" Jason suddenly wondered aloud. Frank and Percy exchanged a look before they quickly raced after their girlfriends, Jason followed behind them.**

**They wanted cookies, too!**

"They better be blue."

Annabeth just palmed her face at her boyfriend's ridiculous obsession with the color blue.

**Slightly annoyed she had been forgotten, Miu puffed up in annoyance where she was perched next to Festus' head. The dragonhead let out a few clicks and Miu squawked in return before she flew to the control center with the intent to get revenge the one way she and most other birds knew how.**

"She better not!" Leo snarled, no one pooped on his control center!

"What are you going to do? Roast the eagle?" Jason asked.

Zeus rumbled in anger at the thought while Leo grimaced.

**Naruto scratched the cat-sized Kurama behind the ear as he lounged on his rollout bed. He had managed to escape from Annabeth, Hazel and Piper's attention thanks to Leo's announcement that there was some damage to the Argo II. What was even better, was that Annabeth and Piper had completely forgotten why they were mad at him in the first place because of his transformation. And he got cookies out of it, too!**

"There's that Athena wisdom for you." Thalia mock cheered.

Annabeth flushed. She couldn't believe her other fell for that. ...Wait, does that mean she would fall for it!?

**Henge no Jutsu for the win. Seriously, if Naruto could meet the one that developed that technique, he would kiss that person on the cheek. Because of the Henge, he created his first original technique, the Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique), when he was twelve. **

"He was going through a developmental stage in his life." Aphrodite smiled.

"Oh, boobs!" Apollo looked down at his chest jokingly.

**Through use of his newly mastered Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Naruto made the Harem no Jutsu, a combination of the Oiroke and the Kage Bunshin. **

"Boobs for all!"

"Apollo!" Artemis glared. Once her twin was cowed, she turned to glare at the tittering lady of doves. "Oh be silent you harlot."

"Make me." Aphrodite stuck her tongue out at the hunter.

**Then he developed the 'god slaying' jutsu – the one technique that defeated Kaguya, the Rabbit Goddess, and the mother of chakra – a technique that his team had made him swear not to use unless absolutely necessary: The dreaded Oiroke Gyaku Harem no Jutsu (Sexy Reverse Harem Technique)!**

"…I have no words for how…horrendous that sounds." Athena simplified with an owlish look on her face.

**Naruto grinned. "Henge no Jutsu is the best jutsu ever."**

**"Yeah, sure, whatever, oh, by the sage that feels ****_good_****." Kurama purred under Naruto's attention, his voice deep now that Naruto ended the transformation. Once he went back into the seal he would ****_never_**** speak of this again, but for now, Kurama felt like he was in heaven. Those females Naruto labeled as his sister and aunt were also very good at scratching him behind the ear.**

Thalia looked to Jason.

"I am not a pet." The blond frowned.

"Come on." The hunter grinned and reached over.

The son of Jupiter swatted the hand away. He gave Thalia the 'Wolf Stare'. "Don't."

"Tch, spoilsport."

**A surprised yell made the blond look up as Miu swooped in from the corridor and perched herself on the windowsill. Naruto looked from her to the door as Percy poked his head into the doorway. There was a small scratch on his forehead, undoubtedly from Miu's talons, and Percy's green eyes narrowed in what would be an intimidating stare if he weren't trying to use it on Naruto.**

"Stupid bird." Percy frowned while Zeus gave a small chuckle.

"That's real mature." Poseidon glared at his younger brother.

"Poseidon, think about who you're talking to." Hades drawled.

Poseidon nodded. "Ah. Right."

**Honestly, it was a meager attempt at best to scare Naruto. Nothing was as scary as an angry girl...except for maybe ghosts. What? Phobias weren't supposed to be rational.**

"He's gonna hate me," Nico chuckled.

"Easy, Ghost King." Jason smiled.

**"Your bird nearly took my head off," Percy said flatly. Miu squawked at him and Naruto rolled his eyes.**

**"Eagle," Jason said as he walked by with Piper beside him.**

**"Thanks, Flyboy!" Naruto called after his fellow blond before he shrugged. "Sorry, she usually stays on my shoulder when we're in the halls. I guess I forgot about her when I had to think on my feet."**

**Miu turned away from him and began to clean her feathers, which made Naruto frown. "Stingy..."**

"Birds are very uptight." Poseidon nodded as Athena and Zeus glared at him.

**"Baka, scratch." Kurama growled lowly at the lapse in his pleasure. Naruto shook his head and resumed to scratch the fox.**

**Percy pointed at Kurama, the small scratch on his forehead already fading from view. "So...what ****_is_**** that, exactly?"**

**Kurama snarled. "I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, ****_boy_****, and you will show your respect lest I devour yo-! Yip!" Kurama scrunched up his nose after Naruto flicked it.**

"Don't make him get the New York Times." Annabeth wagged her finger most menacingly.

**"Be nice, Kurama. Percy, this is Kurama, the entity I was talking about earlier...only chibi-fied." Naruto added with a small smirk as he resumed to scratch the fox behind his rabbit-like ear. "Kurama, this is Percy-oji. He's Anna-oba's boyfriend."**

"Oji?" Percy blinked.

"Uncle," Annabeth said with pink cheeks.

Percy looked a little red after that reveal, but he still smiled widely.

**"Good for him. Ah, that feels nice," Kurama said, with one of his nine tails flicking absentmindedly as his blood red eyes became half-lidded. He takes back most of the nasty things he said about Matatabi for succumbing to Asura's attentive scratching. ****_Most_**** of them, anyway.**

**"...Why does he have nine-tails and rabbit ears?" Percy asked.**

**Naruto blinked and looked at Kurama. "Hey, that's a good question. What's with the rabbit ears?"**

**"They're not rabbit ears! ...And who said you could stop scratching me?" Kurama asked with another small growl.**

"So huffy." Piper snickered.

"He likes being pampered." Hazel giggled.

**Naruto rolled his eyes and resumed scratching. "They're rabbit ears."**

**"Are not! They're ****_kitsune_**** ears, baka. What good would I be if I couldn't hear my enemies coming for me?" Kurama asked. He rolled onto his side and his hind leg lifted slightly as Naruto's fingers started to relax him. "Ohh yeah, right there..."**

**Percy continued to stare at the orange fox. "Um, why doesn't his mouth move when he talks?"**

**This one, Naruto knew. Probably from some instilled knowledge from the Rikudo Sennin or something. "He's made of chakra, his body works different than ours. The only one I noticed that could talk and move their mouth correctly was Shukaku."**

**"Dumb tanuki, ah that's the ticket." Kurama purred as his eyes closed.**

**Percy walked into the room and leaned against the desk. "So...Annabeth says you're from a hidden island?"**

"We also play golf and go bungee jumping every Thursday." Thalia rolled her eyes. "Really Percy?"

"What? I wasn't in the know!"

"That's a first." Nico snorted.

Percy just glared at him.

**"Continent, actually," Naruto said. He sat up slightly and carefully moved the near sleeping fox from his stomach to his lap. "Moves around, supposed to be where Apollo and Artemis were born. Not sure about that, though."**

**"It would explain the weird energy thingy," Percy said.**

**"Chakra. And no, chakra was created by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who I've been told is the daughter of Zeus, but I'm not a hundred percent sure on that," Naruto said, disbelief written on his face. **

Athena frowned, she didn't like to be doubted.

**He shrugged. "Anyway, Princess Kaguya wanted peace and decided to end all wars by consuming fruit from the Shinju tree – not really sure what that was, so don't ask – which gave her godlike abilities. She used chakra to end all wars and brought peace to the land for years to come. When her sons, the Rikudo Sennin and his twin brother, were born, she was upset they had inherited her power, but let them live."**

"How gracious of her," Hera said dryly.

Ares grinned and leaned forward in his seat. "It's like Sparta all over again."

"Ugh, you compare everything with Sparta." Athena rolled her eyes.

"That's because it's the best place that ever existed!" The war god argued.

"Also where naked men wrestled each other every day. Something you want to admit, Ares?" Apollo asked curiously.

Ares just glared daggers at him.

**Kurama snorted, and his raised hind leg twitched, but otherwise didn't wake.**

**"As time went on, the Rikudo Sennin, or the Sage of Six Paths, began to teach 'Ninshū', a way for mankind to manipulate and use chakra. He meant for it to be a way to bring people closer together, but instead he unintentionally gave them the means to become living weapons, able to manipulate the elements, the mind, and even reality with ease. Kaguya was infuriated with him, and began to..." Naruto frowned, trying to think of the right word. "Cleanse, I think is how she would put it, but to be accurate, she started to kill all humanity. **

"Now imagine if Thalia killed Bessie." Percy shivered.

"Hey." Thalia frowned at him.

**In her years with power, she had gained a god-complex and a messiah-complex. She created the Juubi, a beast with ten tails and enough power to end the world."**

**"Why didn't the gods do anything about it then?" Percy asked. Naruto shrugged.**

"Yeah, you'd think that would be something you'd jump at," Frank said, or at least his dad (Greek aspect) would.

**"To be honest, I don't know. I know from Chiron that my nation had been separated from where it was anchored after Apollo and Artemis were born, making it mobile once more." Naruto tilted his head in thought before he nodded. "Right, I was talking about the Juubi. After a few days of destruction, the Sage and his brother came to talk their mother out of destroying the world. She refused and in turn, they sealed her and the Juubi away in the moon."**

**"Artemis' chariot?" Percy imagined a giant monster being shoved into a hidden compartment on Artemis' chariot by the goddess and Thalia. **

"I'd never get my Juicy Fruit out of there." Thalia frowned. Percy glanced at her and she shrugged. "We go riding every once in a while."

"It is most exhilarating." Artemis nodded.

"I thought you hated flying?" Annabeth asked curiously.

"…I'm getting better." Thalia sniffed.

**He resisted the urge to snicker. Naruto shook his head.**

**"No. It's a small moon anchored to the Elemental Nations by chakra, and it reflects sunlight off of it, concealing it in the daytime. Legend says that the Sage's brother took what remained of their mother and hid her away on the moon. He lived there along with his wife, never to be seen by the Sage again."**

**"...So there's men on the moon?" Percy asked in disbelief. This was some weird stuff Naruto was feeding him. Weirder than the Olympians being real or giants trying to destroy humanity.**

"Oh, we've got stories for days!" Apollo admitted with a laugh.

**Naruto shrugged. "Not sure, maybe someday we'll get there. But I know that Kaguya's out of my hair and can't destroy humanity. That's enough for me."**

**Percy nodded in agreement before he hummed. "You said she might be a daughter of Zeus? ...Didn't Zeus, like, ****_kill_**** every human being on the planet once?"**

"Ah, the power washing stunt." Poseidon nodded.

"It wasn't a power wash. It was a cleansing." Zeus argued with a glare.

"Wow, that sounds like your psycho daughter." Hades piped up, a smirk plastered on his face.

Zeus just flared his nostrils and tightened his grip on the arm of his throne in an effort to keep calm.

**Naruto blinked and pondered that for a moment. That certainly explained the ease Kaguya had when she admitted to wanting to restore her 'cradle' (i.e. the world) back to how she had it before chakra came into play. ...On the other hand, she was a crazy lady and he had to stop her from destroying the planet with a giant man-absorbing tree. Naruto scowled as he recalled her ability to create alternate parallel dimensions and warp them at a moments notice. So cheap.**

"Coward! Take your beating like a real demigod!" Leo shook his fist in the air.

"Would you really want to fight her?" Reyna asked him.

"No. Just saying is all."

**Zeus' daughter or not, it was a ****_good_**** thing he and the rest of Team Seven kicked her butt.**

**Naruto noted that Percy was still waiting for him to respond, but before he could, Leo's voice came over the PA. "****_Hey, all of you need to come to the control room! Everyone get up here and buckle up!_****"**

"This is going to be fun." Percy groaned.

"Hey, I did my best." Leo glared at the boy.

"Just saying it was bumpy."

**"Better do as he says," Naruto said as he got to his feet and set Kurama on the bed. He put his left hand on his stomach and turned it to the right. The fox before him exploded in a poof of smoke, and soft snores echoed in the back of Naruto's head until he cut the connection. Naruto grabbed his staff and looked at Miu as Percy rushed to the control room. "You coming?"**

**Miu looked at him once before she turned away with her beak raised.**

**Naruto arched a brow. "Seriously? You're still mad?"**

**Miu squawked at him.**

**"Oh, how is it my fault you were left behind? You're a big girl, you can fly yourself around."**

**Miu looked at him with another squawk.**

"Whine, whine, whine..." Poseidon sighed. "This why I made horses."

"Yes, and look at how messy they are." Zeus mocked.

"At least the dead are quiet." Hades glared at them. He turned to his son. "Continue, Nico."

**Naruto deadpanned. "I'm replacing you with a fox? Kurama is part of me, he's like, one of my best friends."**

**"****_Don't go telling lies to people!"_**** Kurama grumbled. Naruto ignored it.**

"Hm..." Aphrodite rubbed her chin. "I think the fox is a tsundere."

"You think everyone is a tsundere." Apollo rolled his eyes.

"A lot of people are! Just look at Thalia!" The hunter glared at the love goddess, who gave a challenging look in return. "Am I wrong?"

Thalia had no comment for that.

**Miu squawked again.**

**"Oh, I see." Naruto gave an exaggerated bow to the eagle. "How silly of me. Please, fair avian, forgive this land-walker for his insolence..."**

**Miu chirped and hopped over to his shoulder, which made him glower at her.**

**"You're lucky I like you, or I'd be having fried eagle," Naruto said dryly. Miu tightened her talons and he winced. "Joke, it was a joke! Ow!"**

"You don't joke like that." Jason frowned.

"Indeed." Zeus rumbled.

**They made it to the control room and Naruto took a seat behind Annabeth. He didn't bother with the seatbelt and instead used chakra to cling to his chair and keep Miu comfortably in place on his shoulder. The other six demigods began to scream as the Argo II suddenly took a dive towards a large lake. **

"Hold onto your undies people!" Leo whooped with a laugh.

**Leo looked a bit nervous, but still had control. The most entertaining thing for Naruto before the crash was Coach Hedge's war cry.**

**"BRING IT ON, LAKE!"**

"I love that satyr." Ares smiled.

Athena sniffed distastefully. "No wonder he gets along with your children."

"I'll go next Nico," Hazel said. She was so excited to discover what happened next, and thanked Nico when he gave her the book.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**6: Boredom, Optimism and The Diet Pepsi God**

Hazel cracked open the book to the next chapter and began to read.

**"De-rob...De-rob...De-rob!" Naruto grunted as his head collided with the main mast on the ****_Argo II_****. The group had split as soon as they landed, with Hazel and Leo going off after some celestial bronze on Hazel's, er, friend Arion; **

"Ah, good times." Leo smiled in reminiscence. He missed Echo. She was funny.

"Yeah, not the chasing part though," Hazel said dryly.

"That was fun, too!"

**Annabeth, Frank and Percy looking for some mineral that could be found on the nearby beach, and Jason and Piper retreated to the med bay because Jason's head was bothering him again.**

"You should invest in an Evil Kneivel helmet." Thalia told her brother.

"I'm not that bad." Jason told her with a frown.

**This left Naruto two options: Either leave the ship somewhat defenseless – Jason was out of action and Piper could only do so much **

"Hey!" Piper pouted, she was strong now!

"I think he means while Jason is out, dear," Aphrodite said.

Piper huffed. "It better be."

– **or stay in the control room with Hedge.**

**Naruto made a ****_third_**** option, where he would stay away from Hedge (the annoying fuzzy-pants that he is) and guard the ship at the same time. The only downside to this whole plan was Naruto hadn't a clue on how long these "resource recovery missions," as Leo aptly put them, would take. Which led to now, with Naruto trying to literally kill his bored brain cells by smacking his head against the mast.**

"A _wise _maneuver." Ares snickered while Athena look appalled.

"Oh, he'll get a bruise!" Aphrodite frowned as she fretted for her son's complexion.

The goddess of wisdom glared at her dryly. "That's not what you should be worrying about."

**It was a slow process and no results were yet to be seen.**

**"Next time we have to go do something, I'm going. No ifs, ands or buts about it." Naruto grumbled to himself. His head collided with the mast again and he frowned. "This doesn't even hurt...Ugh, but I'm so ****_derob_****!"**

"Derob?" Reyna asked with confusion.

"Bored spelled backwards. It's from _The Shining_." Apollo explained. He scratched his chin. "How'd he see it?"

"Heph's daughter?" Hermes suggested, which made Hephaestus and Leo glower. "Maybe yours when she wanted to get in his pants?"

Apollo grimaced.

"What's _The Shining_?" Percy asked.

"...Seriously, D. Movie nights!"

Dionysus rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

**"Hey, Blondie! Stop yelling nonsense, I'm trying to watch a fight!" Hedge shouted from the control room.**

**"Sorry, Fuzzy-britches!" Naruto called back halfheartedly. Hedge probably didn't even hear him. Naruto didn't care, that satyr was on his list of "Top Ten Most Aggravating People in the World". Hedge wasn't high on the list, but he was slowly getting past number seven: Hoshigaki Kisame, aka the Tailless Biju. The shark-like man's smug grin was annoying when he was alive, always shave off legs or shred him apart.**

**Not to mention Kisame ****_totally_**** tried to abduct him when he was twelve.**

"Whoa! Pedo-Alert!" Apollo whistled. Aphrodite, Athena, Annabeth and Piper scowled at the thought.

"That shark dude was creepy as hell." Percy blanched.

**Stupid Akatsuki...Stupid Madara...**

**"Man, I must be really bored if I'm bitterly thinking about Madara," Naruto said to himself.**

**"****_You? Bitter? Please, the world must be ending before a single negative thought comes to your mind,"_**** Kurama said with a snort. ****_"If you're so 'bored', why not let me out again to make things interesting?"_**

**Naruto let his head rest on the mast he'd pounded a decent dent into over the past hour **

"And now I have to fix that." Leo glared at the blond on the screen. You do not mess with a boy and his flying boat!

**and hummed in thought. "Define interesting."**

**"****_A few destroyed buildings here, a couple of civilians squished there...c'mon, it'll be nice to see how quick these people react! Those Romans had a pathetic response time. And they threw stones at us! Stones!"_**** Kurama let out an insulted huff. ****_"Honestly, I don't think that whole 'city' could take on a single squad of Genin, let alone a Jinchuriki."_**

The Romans bristled at that.

"In fairness, you did fire rocks at him," Piper said.

"I can do that, too." Hazel pointed out tersely.

"Well, yeah, but you know what I mean." Piper added with an awkward smile.

Hazel just huffed and continued to read. There was nothing wrong with throwing rocks! Rocks hurt!

**"Well, that's not fair...Maybe a squad of chunin if they tried hard enough," Naruto said with a small smile. He turned around and sat with his back against the mast to get more comfortable and looked up at Miu, who was still avoiding him. Stingy eagle.**

**"****_Oh, you're just saying that because you like that female, what's-her-name...Rana? Reya?"_**

"What's this?" Piper smiled while Reyna looked mildly interested. Annabeth smirked when Thalia let out a mild grunt.

**"Reyna." Naruto pouted childishly. "I don't ****_like_**** her...at least, I think I don't."**

**"****_Sure you don't. It's not like you were actively comparing her to a kunoichi when you met. Or making note of how pretty her hair is..."_**

"Mm, momma likes." Aphrodite giggled with interest. As expected of her baby boy!

Athena frowned. While she was tolerant of Romans to some extent now, that didn't mean she was up for her children and legacies consummating. It would be like Annabeth and Poseidon's spawn all over again!

**"Kurama!" Naruto rubbed at his face furiously to hide the flush that had covered it. So what if he liked long hair because it reminded him of his mom? Everyone is entitled to their own aesthetic likes and dislikes.**

**Kurama let out a booming laugh. ****_"I see why Matatabi likes to rile her Jinchuriki up! It's so amusing to see you humans flush over frivolous things."_**

**"Asshole," Naruto said with a grunt as he crossed his arms.**

**"****_Ah, you couldn't live without me. Literally. So you're stuck with me, Naruto. Deal with it."_**

"The nagging voices in the back of your head suck." Nico nodded, which earned him some worried looks. He just let a small smirk cross his face.

**Naruto let a small smile cross his face. "That's not so bad."**

**"****_You say that now, wait until I start naming your kits before you do. Your skulk will be my skulk, and I don't know how to break this to you, Naruto, but there's only one alpha male in this body."_**

**Naruto looked down at his naval with an arched brow. "Do you not remember when I kicked your ass with the Senpō: Chōōdama Rasen Tarengan (Sage Art: Many Ultra-Big Ball Spiraling Serial Spheres)?"**

**"****_That doesn't count and you know it. I was only able to use my Yang chakra at the time. Let's see you beat me now,"_**** Kurama said in a playful, but arrogant tone.**

"Ooh, fight. Monster fight!" Ares cheered.

"No." Aphrodite frowned.

"But-!"

"No!"

Ares hung his head in disappointment. "Aww..."

**Naruto smirked. "Rikudō Sennin Mōdo (Six Paths Sage Mode)."**

**"****_...Shut up, Naruto. Just shut up."_**** Kurama let out a small growl as Naruto started to laugh.**

"So, ninja haxs?" Leo asked.

Frank nodded, "Ninja haxs."

**Naruto was right to be amused, as with the Rikudō Sennin Mōdo, he was equal in raw power to Kaguya, who had ascended to godly (or godlike) abilities with nearly limitless power. In fact, the only ones who had given Naruto a decent fight when he was going all out were Kaguya and Sasuke. Kurama knew that alone he didn't measure up to the Mother of Chakra, so there was no chance for the Biju to stack up against Naruto.**

"Un-_limited_ Pow-ah!" Apollo cried out dramatically.

"Why me?" Zeus rubbed his face with irritation as Apollo and Hermes high fived with a snicker.

**Still, that didn't mean the Kyuubi no Kitsune wasn't powerful. It just meant that Kurama wasn't ****_as_**** powerful. It didn't really matter though, considering Naruto and Kurama have stopped fighting one another and fought together.**

**In his cage, Kurama's grin widened. No one, not even these Olympian gods, could stand up to him and his container. **

"Doubtful." Zeus snorted, and his comment earned a few nods from the rest of the Olympians.

**Naruto had one power that all immortals seem to lack: Faith. Kurama's third jailer had so much faith in his friends and fellow shinobi that he never doubted any of them. Not once had Naruto doubted his comrade's abilities, even with Sasuke.**

"The duck butt haired guy." Leo summarized with a grin.

**Kurama didn't like the Uchiha, but for some odd reason, Naruto considered him a friend, his best friend even. It baffled the Biju. Sasuke had superiority and inferiority issues; no one would doubt it, not even Sasuke himself. When Naruto had started to become stronger, coming from the end of the line when it came to the rankings of Konoha's genin and swiftly rising to the top, the young Uchiha turned his back on his friends and sought out powerful allies – tools, a more accurate term, to make him stronger. Sasuke fell down the same path that Indra had: a talented young man gifted with power, walked the dark path of vengeance, to overcome the one he believed inferior.**

"Hubris at its finest." Poseidon nodded.

Athena scowled at him. "You're mocking me." It was not a question.

Poseidon just smiled at her. "I'm not that petty."

**_Just like the Old Man's sons_****, Kurama smirked. Like Asura, Naruto gained strength through his bonds, hard work, and a strong will. Early on, he strived to be the best, to be in the spotlight: a selfish goal that had made Kurama convinced that Naruto was just some idiot brat. This was to be changed, as Naruto's 'dream' changed from being the ****_strongest_**** Hokage to being the ****_best_**** Hokage, not only strong, but willing to fight and die for his people. The dream shifted once more, to bring some semblance of peace to the Elemental Nations. A foolhardy goal, one would think. Impossible even.**

Ares nodded. "Peace is an illusion."

"Don't tell Eirene that." Hermes told him.

Ares scowled, he hated that goddess. So damn annoying! And her emails always filled his spam folders to the brim! He had to empty it every day or he wouldn't get any links to porn sites!

**Naruto Uzumaki spat in the face of impossibilities. Naruto Uzumaki erased doubt from the minds of men. Naruto Uzumaki cured hatred like it was a simple disease. Naruto Uzumaki spread hope and created peace for the once war-ridden Elemental Nations.**

"He rode his golden unicorn into the rainbow as the sun rose to his smile and he farted money." Leo rolled his eyes. "Geez, fanboy much?"

"Hey," Apollo glared for the sun comment. The sun rose to _his_ smile, thank you very much!

"To be fair, this stuff is historically accurate for the character," Annabeth said to Leo's comment. "He got a demon to be his friend. Can you say the same?"

"...Give me a week-."

"No, Leo." Jason and Piper cut in.

Leo pouted. "You guys suck."

**Naruto Uzumaki is, without a doubt in Kurama's mind, the ****_strongest_**** force on the planet. No one – not some immortal gods that lived on a mountain, not some pissed off old lady that lived in the dirt, and certainly not something as trivial as a couple of angry brats that called themselves Giants – no one could defeat, let alone ****_kill_****, Naruto Uzumaki. This was the one universal truth that Kurama was sure of.**

"And the verdict?" Artemis asked Apollo.

"The jury's still out on that one." The sun god joked.

**"Yo, Kurama, you fall asleep again?" Naruto asked rudely.**

**Kurama chuckled to himself and shifted in his spot as he ignored his container's attempts to 'wake' him. Red eyes drifted shut and a smirk had plastered itself on the massive fox's muzzle.**

**Nothing could defeat Naruto Uzumaki ...except boredom.**

"Boredom!" Percy cried out to the heavens. It was his one true nemesis!

**From where he sat meditating, Naruto arched a brow in interest when Leo and Hazel walked back on board the ****_Argo II_****. "...HotStuff? Really?"**

**"Don't hate 'cause you ain't," Leo said. **

"I be smokin' hot~" Leo grinned.

"Easy there, Hot Stuff." Piper giggled.

"You cannot contain the flames!"

"Plagiarism!" Percy declared with a scowl at the pyro.

**He had a large piece of bronze in his hands. "I got the bronze, Annabeth said you were up here meditating when they came back."**

**"They came back?" Naruto furrowed his brow. How'd he miss that?**

**"****_Here's a hint: you pulled a classic Nara."_**** Kurama helpfully told him.**

**"I fell asleep? What time is it?" Naruto looked up at the soft hues of the sky as it changed colors. The orange and purples reminded him of his dream a few months back, the one where he walked with Tsuchi in someone else's body. The towel-thing he wore...Toga! That's what it's called.**

Aphrodite just giggled at that. "It was so cute!"

"Gag us." Artemis groaned.

"Oh, you wouldn't know cute if it bit you in the ass!"

"Ouch, and considering she disguises herself as a maiden..." Apollo snickered while Artemis scowled.

**"Almost time to set sail," Leo said. The boat suddenly rocked and Leo stumbled back into Hazel. The two quickly separated from each other with awkward unease on their faces. **

Frank grunted. Sure, he and Leo were past that, but he still didn't like to remember it.

**Naruto had to tilt his head in confusion, as though the new view would let him see ****_why_**** they were awkward around each other. No such luck.**

**"We, we might want to hurry up on repairs," Hazel said nervously.**

**"Good idea," Leo said. He looked at Naruto. "So...?"**

**Naruto rolled his eyes. "You only let me come because of the free labor..."**

**"Maybe, but seriously dude, we got some angry water nymphs after our heads," Leo said urgently. "Clones? Now? Please?"**

"Pay up freeloader." Leo nodded.

**"Yeah, fine." Naruto lifted his hands and made two clones, both of which swiftly followed Leo under the deck towards the engines. Naruto stood up and steadied Hazel when she stumbled after the ship lurched again. "Careful. You okay?"**

**"A bit tired," Hazel said tightly. Naruto waited patiently, but didn't get any elaboration as to why. He just watched her go off below deck, moving as Percy, who had some black stuff on his shirt, climbed up.**

**"Leo filled me in. I gotta do something to hold them off," Percy said as he rushed from one side of the deck to the other in order to get a solid bead on the nymphs.**

"Aqualad away!" Thalia laughed.

"Hey," Percy glared.

"Don't be so pissy, Percy. I'm sure Annie would like to see you in spandex pants."

A red-faced Annabeth gave Thalia a hard Athena-worthy glare.

**"What did he do?" Naruto asked, watching without any real concern. He had crossed an ocean before, so this wasn't nearly as bad.**

**"All I know is they made some nymphs mad," Percy said. He frowned from where he stood on the left side of the deck. "Found them. I think...What's up with the weird clothes, though?"**

**"Weird clothes?" Naruto walked over and joined him. He joined Percy in staring incredulously at the girls dressed oddly with posters and strange knick-knacks. One poster had a very handsome guy staring into water on it, the words "I 3 Narcissus" in red at the bottom so as not to ruin the picture. "...Who's Narcissus?"**

"Oh! Right. He came back for a time." The love goddess nodded. Best YouTube video of the year. Shame the Mist ensured it was removed from the Internet. Poor mortals will never see a more beautiful man...well, other than her sons, that is.

**"...A better question is, how'd they get those shirts made?" Percy blinked.**

Hermes suddenly started to whistle innocently.

**"...I really wish I went with Leo," Naruto said with a frown.**

**"I really want to know what the heck happened," Percy said.**

**The boat lurched again and Naruto clung to the deck with chakra, putting a hand on Percy's shoulder to keep him from accidentally falling overboard. "We should probably do something about them."**

**"Right." Percy nodded. He held his hand out to the side and then, after a minute, swept it across where the nymphs were. One massive tsunami-like wave passed by and the nymphs were gone.**

"Percy Jackson, blowing away nymph's one wave at a time." Frank chuckled.

"I think he'd enjoy blowing them..."

"ARES!"

Aphrodite glared at her boyfriend. Honestly, nothing was wrong with same-sex romance!

**Kurama snorted. ****_"Not impressed! I can do that, too!"_**

**_Let him have the moment,_**** Naruto thought with a small smile. Sure, most of the people in Mizugakure no Sato could do something similar with enough chakra, but Percy was the son of Poseidon. It was kind of expected for him to do something like that.**

**It was dinnertime and the ****_Argo II_**** was on the move once again with Hedge at the wheel. The seven demigods and one Jinchuriki were below deck in the mess hall. Naruto looked at Miu, who joined him below to get some food for herself. She moved from his shoulder to perch next to him once he sat down, a small paper plate with a solitary piece of pizza in front of her to peck at.**

"Eagles eat pizza?" Jason blinked in confusion.

"Birds eat anything," Thalia said. "Then either choke on it or poop it out."

"Ew." Piper blanched.

**It would've been a nice dinner, if the tension in the air wasn't so thick. Naruto stirred his cup ramen – it had been ****_hours_**** since his last ten cups, and he wasn't in the mood for pizza – and watched the seven. Granted, it was interesting to see Jason and Percy, who seemed to get along so well, momentarily clash over a chair at the head of the table. Naruto smiled nostalgically, it reminded him of himself and Sasuke back in their Academy days.**

**"****_You mean like that time you two totally locked lips?"_**** Kurama asked far too innocently.**

"Jarcy?" Aphrodite tilted her head in thought.

"NO!" Annabeth and Piper glared at the love goddess while the boyfriends refused to look at each other.

**Naruto's eyes closed, the right twitched, as he forced himself to calm down lest he ruin his cup ramen. ****_All of my hate!_**

**Kurama just snickered.**

**Naruto listened as the two groups recalled their adventures, and though he found Leo's to be far more an entertaining story, he was rather disappointed that the small moment of laughter died. The demigods around him, the Seven as they started to call themselves, were suddenly aware that the fate of the world was on their shoulders. It was getting to them.**

"Yeah, no pressure at all." Percy rolled his eyes.

"Hey, we did it." Leo shrugged with a smug grin.

"And got blown up." Piper added.

"Girl, you always bring that up!"

**"You guys ****_really_**** need to loosen up," Naruto said, unable to take the silence anymore. He chuckled at their curious stares and ate a few noodles. He finished the last long noodle in his chopsticks with a very uncultured and undignified slurp that earned him a few looks of disgust. "Seriously, you guys act as if you're going to fail off the bat."**

**"The world is at stake," Annabeth said with a small frown. "We're worried about what could happen if we mess up."**

"Annie, no being a Debby Downer." Thalia scolded.

"Ha-ha." Annabeth rolled her eyes.

**"Then you're all doomed to die," Naruto said with a shrug. "Thinking about the 'what-ifs' or the 'or-elses' will just distract you. In the words of Iruka-sensei: 'just do the mission and get paid.'"**

"You know-" Percy started.

The gods interrupted swiftly and in unison. "No."

Percy clicked his tongue. There went that eight figure paycheck.

**"But what if-?" Jason began, only for the whiskered blond to cut him off.**

**"You're thinking about a 'what-if'." Naruto pointed out with his chopsticks. "Don't do that. Be optimistic."**

**"Easy for you to say," Frank said with a frown. "You're not part of the prophecy."**

**Naruto grinned. "Wasn't part of the rescue Hera one either, still did it and guess what? Got the job done."**

**"He's got a point," Piper said. She looked at Jason. "Do you think we could talk the Romans down?"**

"No." The Romans deadpanned.

**Jason had a small frown on his face, like he was sure about the answer but didn't want to tell Piper, and put his hand on hers. "Maybe we could talk to Reyna..."**

"I would have been willing to listen, but with so much blood being called for…" Reyna frowned deeply.

"It was nice to know you at least helped us." Nico smiled at her, which earned him one in return.

**"The real person you'd have to convince is Octavian," Hazel said. She still looked a bit green in the face and her plate, which now had rubies in the edges of it for some reason, had a few saltine crackers on it. "He and the Romans won't rest until the wrong to them has been righted. It's a sense of honor."**

**Naruto snorted and took a few more noodles into his mouth. "Honor, shmonor...I can understand patriotism, but honor? Pretty dumb reason to start a fight."**

"Ooh, he pushed the no-no button." Leo winced. The gathered Roman demigods didn't look so happy at Naruto's words.

**Frank, Hazel and Jason frowned at him. Naruto shrugged it off. "Honor's a useless thing to a shinobi. Clans used to proclaim it all the time 'oh, we'll have you killed for stepping on my daughter's sandal!'. It's dumb. There's this one clan, the Hyuga Clan, some of them have their heads so far up their own asses they can't see past their own shit."**

Hazel looked and sounded uncomfortable when she managed to force out that last word.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Gosh darn it, Hazel."

"Shut up, Leo!"

**Hazel was much greener than before, and the others looked uncomfortable with his phrasing, but didn't deter him from speaking his mind.**

**"A good friend of mine, Neji, he was one of them." Naruto started to chuckle. "He used to be like that, too. Then, I kicked his ass in front of practically the whole village in the Chunin Exams."**

**"Chunin Exams?" Hazel asked.**

**Annabeth spoke before Naruto could, a scowl on her face. "It's a replacement for war, where allied nations or nations in peace can send their genin to the host village to earn the right to be promoted to Chunin, or a standard ninja, as well as show off prospective shinobi to possible clients. It's a barbaric version of the Olympics."**

Ares rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"We already have war simulations," Athena said in a bored tone.

"Aww, but those are boring!" Ares frowned. "This sounds way more fun!"

**"I think it's fun," Naruto said with a pout.**

**"It's ****_barbaric_****," Annabeth said with a frown to her nephew. "There is no slated age for entry. There's even a boy on record that had entered at age six! ****_Six_****!"**

**"Yeah, that was Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said with a nod. **

"Kakashi is a badass." Hermes smiled.

"And he's my son in the Apollo Naruto stories," Aphrodite said with a grin. "My baby boys are born amazing!"

"...'Cept for Eros." Ares huffed.

"Nonsense! He's fabulous!" Aphrodite refuted.

**The others turned to him and he blinked. "What? He was a genin at five, and both Mom and Dad trained him. Dad even submitted his team for the exam."**

**"That was a bad call. Kids shouldn't be enlisted so young," Annabeth said firmly.**

**Jason shrugged. "I've been with New Rome since I was two, if you count my time with Lupa."**

"Which was not cool." Thalia scowled.

"It worked out." Jason told her.

The hunter grunted. "Yeah, a decade and some years later."

**Annabeth shook her head. "That's not the point."**

**"The point is we're getting off track," Percy said around a bite of pizza. Annabeth smacked him in the arm for his lack of manners and he frowned at her. "Ow."**

**"Percy's right," Jason said. "We're off track. We need to figure out what to do next."**

**"Well..." Annabeth began hesitantly. "If we're going to cross the Atlantic, I did get a request from Athena before we left."**

"Thank you." Annabeth deadpanned to her mother.

"What matters is that you found my likeness." Athena praised subtly. "It all ended in the best way that it could've."

**Hazel and Frank looked uneasy while Leo arched a brow. "And this request is...?"**

**"...Rome, I have to get to Rome," Annabeth said after a moment. "She wants me to do something only a-"**

**"Daughter of Athena can do?" Percy asked. Annabeth turned to him. "Juno told me that you'd been asked to do something only a daughter of Athena could do, she said she didn't believe you could do it. I believe otherwise."**

"D'aww." Most of the room cooed at the couple playfully, whilst the two in question smiled at one another.

"Gag me," Athena and Ares said together. They quickly glared at each other for speaking when the other spoke.

**"****_Corny."_**** Kurama snorted.**

**_Shut it._**** Naruto thought.**

**"Rome? Didn't Nemesis say that we had six days before your brother dies and giants destroy Rome?" Leo asked Hazel.**

"Yeah…hurry up please?" Nico asked. Jars were so not cool.

**Hazel frowned. "Six days isn't a lot of time."**

**"So negative," Naruto said with a chuckle. He downed the rest of his ramen and tossed his cup to the trash, piercing it with his chopsticks with impeccable aim. "I won the Fourth War in two days, six days is plenty of time."**

"Why that little shit!" Ares seethed. "Wars are not supposed to be that short! How was the body count supposed to get high?!"

"Yes, because a high body count is always good." Hades drawled sarcastically.

"Exactly!"

**"...A two day war? How is that even possible?" Frank asked.**

**Naruto grinned. "I said I ****_won_**** in two days."**

**That certainly stunned the demigods. What Naruto didn't add made it even more impressive, he had fought for forty-eight hours straight, diverted large portions of his and Kurama's chakra to an army that was forty thousand strong, made ****_thousands_**** of clones, ****_died_**** for about two minutes, came ****_back_**** to life, fought Obito, Madara and the god-like Kaguya on dwindling chakra reserves, ****_and_**** then fought Sasuke to the point that he nearly died again. And all on his birthday, too.**

"I saved the world in a three day war on my birthday," Percy said thoughtfully. Wow, he and Naruto had a lot in common. It was weird.

"...But he fought undead ninjas." Nico pointed out. He pointed at Percy. "You fought, what, like ten people tops?"

"And Kronos!"

"...Yeah, but...Undead _immortal_ ninjas."

Percy scowled. "That doesn't mean anything!"

"Whatever you say, Percy," Nico said as he rolled his eyes. "The dead are more stubborn than the living."

"So true." Hades agreed.

**"Yeah, well, I need a few more hours to fix the engine properly. This patch job won't hold out for six days," Leo said as he grabbed another slice of pizza.**

**Piper licked her lips nervously. "Well...I think I know somewhere closer we could set down. Anyone have an objection to Kansas?"**

"Can I bring Toto?" Apollo asked with a raised hand.

"No." Artemis told him. The sun god whined at her swift response.

**Turns out that his brave little Imouto had been keeping secrets from her friends again. She'd been having dream-like visions in her sleep and had seen more things in her dagger. Naruto was contemplating confiscating the damn thing from her and giving her the tri-pronged bronze dagger he had sealed away in his room.**

"Not a bad idea really," Piper said thoughtfully. Besides, she'd get a cool ninja weapon! That was always a plus.

**Needless to say, when she mentioned meeting a possible god near a mailbox, Naruto was first to speak up. He was ****_not_**** staying behind on the boat again. Ever.**

**Percy decided to come along, since Annabeth was needed to help Leo with the engineering mumbo jumbo, and Jason was a given considering Piper was the one who originally wanted to go here. Frank and Hazel, after a small strange altercation with Leo, decided to scout for Roman eagles. Naruto sent Miu with them as protection.**

"Bird verses bird combat!" Leo announced. "Taking all bets!"

"Miu." Frank jumped in. He's turned into an eagle before, so he knew they were powerful creatures.

**So, off they went, the merry four. Naruto didn't mind the walk; he'd traveled the entire distance of the United States many times when he was a genin, and in only a few days, so a few miles wasn't going to kill him. He held back and listened to Piper tell him some more Cherokee tales that her grandfather had told her as they made their way to the supposed meeting point. The whiskered blond knew that she would much rather speak with Jason, but he and Percy were a few feet ahead of them, having their own rivalry moment.**

"Oh, good." Hades and Nico grunted.

"Just like their fathers." Hestia giggled.

Percy and Jason gave awkward smiles at the comment while their fathers just grunted and avoided eye contact with one another.

**Naruto thought their boasting and arguments over who did what when and how cooler it was than the other was...odd. It was much different than how he and Sasuke interacted. Naruto would say something or ask a question, Sasuke would respond and call him an idiot, Naruto would call Sasuke an asshole and demand a fight, and the two would spar. **

"I'm glad you two aren't like that," Piper said to the boys.

"Same." Annabeth nodded.

"But who is Naruto and who is Sasuke?" Thalia asked with a grin.

Percy and Jason didn't know how to answer that one.

"Sasuke knows lightning stuff, so that makes Jason…"

"And I'm blond with blue eyes." Jason argued. He didn't want to be Sasuke. He was a psycho with pink eye!

"But Naruto was stupid when he was a kid." Nico pointed out innocently.

Percy glared at him, knowing where Nico was going with that one.

"Can I just read, please?" Hazel frowned.

"Continue dear." Hestia urged her.

**When they were younger, Sasuke would clean his clock, give that annoying 'hn' sound he always gave instead of speaking, and walk away to be followed by fangirls. Recently, as in since Naruto's latest visit home, they came to a draw, with Naruto having the upper hand, and then went out for some ramen or beef.**

**This whole...one-upping thing was rather lame. They should just spar and be done with it. Naruto thought about something Chiron had said once during a lesson concerning the two younger brothers of the Big Three. Was this ****_really_**** how Zeus and Poseidon acted? Seriously? If so, Naruto was concerned for the planet.**

"We fear for the world every day." Hades nodded. His words earned him dirty looks from his brothers, not that he cared.

**"Naruto!"**

**"Hm?" Naruto turned to look at Piper, who looked rather miffed that he had zoned out on her.**

**"You're not even listening anymore, are you?" She asked with a frown.**

**Naruto scratched the back of his neck sheepishly with a chuckle. "Eh, sorry Imouto. Just thinking about my friends."**

**Piper's face lightened up slightly. "You don't talk about your friends a lot."**

**"What are you talking about? I talk about them all the time back at the cabin," Naruto said.**

**"You talk about Sasuke and Gaara, both of whom I think I know so well that if I met them in person I wouldn't know it'd be for the first time," Piper said with a smirk.**

"A real chatter box, huh?" Artemis smirked.

"Nothing wrong with that." Aphrodite huffed.

"Indeed." Athena glared at the huntress since the slight could be aimed at her as well.

**Naruto chuckled. "Oh yeah, well...they're the only ones that the others care about."**

**"Well, can you tell me more about some of your other friends?" Piper asked.**

**Naruto beamed. "Sure!"**

**They walked another fifteen minutes and Naruto enthusiastically began to tell Piper stories of him and his friends. His childhood buddies, Kiba, Shikamaru and Choji, who joined him in skipping class when they were young, had grown significantly. Kiba, the smug bastard, and his companion Akamaru had since become a dangerous rogue shinobi hunting duo. According to Sakura, he was being considered for ANBU.**

**Shikamaru, though extremely lazy, was being groomed for his father's position as the Jonin Commander, where he would stay until the Hokage allowed his retirement papers to go through. Naruto hoped Kakashi wouldn't accept those, because Naruto really wanted Shikamaru as his go to guy. Even if it would be unlikely to organize for war, Naruto was sure that the Nations wouldn't do anything until long after he was dead and buried, the lazy genius would be the best choice for a right hand man. Shikamaru was unavailable during his visit because he was taking care of his goddaughter.**

**Choji was the least to have changed. Well, that's not entirely true; Naruto hadn't seen a bag of chips in Choji's hand during his visit at all. The large warrior's family had started to house Karui, the new ambassador of Kumo, and he'd seen them out and about much like how Shikamaru and Temari had. **

Hazel and Frank looked at each other after the sentence was finished.

Leo rubbed his chin. "Weren't those the characters Naruto compared them to?"

"Yes," Piper said, now interested.

**Naruto's eyes had widened after he made that connection and he glared at his naval, due to Kurama's sudden bout of laughter. That explains why Kurama laughed when he compared Frank and Hazel to Choji and Karui.**

"It was fated!" Aphrodite gleefully sang.

Piper sighed. "Take it easy, Mom."

"Ninja fate!"

"She'll be squealing about this all night." Artemis grunted.

Zeus grunted, there were only three Fates he worried about and they were his own daughters.

**As they strolled up to the Forty Mile marker, Naruto told a story about how one time he, Kiba, Shikamaru and Choji had been caught messing around in the Hokage Tower.**

**"...So, Jiji's just starin' right at us, Kiba's got his hand in the file cabinet, Choji's choking after he ate some of Jiji's tobacco, Shikamaru's looking like one of his family's deer and I've got the hat on my head, sitting in the chair with my feet on his desk," Naruto said to his giggling sister. "And out of nowhere, Kiba bolts for the window, jumping through with a yell of 'Don't use the spray bottle, momma!' It was the funniest thing I'd ever heard him say. **

"I've used that a lot for the new wolf puppies." Thalia nodded. The spray bottle was a powerful force to an animal, especially one that was being bad. Like the one she caught after it had peed on her Green Day shirt! Sure, Lady Artemis cleaned it with magic, but it was the principle of the matter!

**'Course, we all were forced to stand with buckets of water in the classroom listening to one of Iruka's speeches the next day."**

**"I can't believe you all got busted," Piper said with a small snort after her laugh. "And that's why Choji eats Barbeque flavor?"**

**"It's the only thing that can match the spice of Jiji's tobacco," Naruto said with a chuckle.**

**"Uh, excuse me," Percy said, garnering the attention of both children of Love. He pointed at the Forty Mile marker. "Correct my math, but that says we have ****_eight_**** more miles, right?"**

"Give or take." Hermes shrugged.

**"It'll be sundown by the time we get to the marker and back," Jason said with a frown. "We need to get there faster."**

**Naruto rubbed his chin and looked down either end of the road they walked by. There were no cars on the road. "Can't do that hike-hitching thing."**

**"Hitchhiking," Piper corrected with a small smile.**

**"That's what I said." Naruto frowned when she snickered. "What?"**

**Jason snapped his fingers. "I can call a friend."**

**"Me too," Percy said. Stormy blue eyes met sea green and challenging grins crossed the boys' faces. "Wanna see whose friend can get here first?"**

"Oh gods! Just whip them out and measure already." Thalia rolled her eyes.

"Thalia!" Jason cried out while Percy sputtered.

The hunter grunted. "It's _annoying_."

"Welcome to our life, Thalia Grace," Demeter said with a sigh while her brothers flustered or scowled.

**"You ready to be disappointed?" Jason asked. He looked away and brought his fingers to his lips to whistle.**

**Percy merely closed his eyes and gained a look of hard concentration.**

"He's got gas." Nico stage whispered, which earned him a few laughs and a shove from Percy.

**Naruto looked at Piper, who was shaking her head in disbelief. "So...why are they doing this?"**

**Piper sighed. "To get us a ride to the Mile 32 marker."**

**"...Why do we need a ride? You've been training, right? Let's just run," Naruto said.**

**"It's eight miles."**

**"...And?"**

**Piper just stared at Naruto. "Naruto, an eight mile run would completely sap us of energy."**

**"Really?" Naruto asked with a frown. "You guys are worse than genin."**

"That's a slap to the face!" Ares laughed.

The demigods did not look pleased at Naruto's comment.

**Piper rolled her eyes. "Excuse us for not being ninja."**

**"I'll think about it," Naruto said cheekily.**

**Whatever was going to come out of Piper's mouth as a retort was interrupted by Percy's chuckle. The two siblings looked at him and followed his gaze to a small black speck that was steadily getting closer. Naruto squinted his eyes, was it a black bird or something?**

**There was a boom and Naruto looked up. "Was that thunder?"**

**"Yep." Jason smirked. "He'll be here soon."**

**"Too late," Percy said. He crossed his arms as a massive black Pegasus came down to them and landed gracefully. **

Poseidon smirked proudly while Zeus grunted in annoyance.

**The horse snorted and Percy greeted it with a hand on its face. "This is Blackjack. Blackjack, these are Jason, Piper and Naruto. They're friends."**

**Blackjack nickered at him and Percy winced. "Right...Well, I can get you some later if you give us rides now."**

**"What's he want?" Piper asked.**

**"Donuts," Percy said with a shrug. "Might need to make two trips, I forgot we can't all fit on him."**

**"No need," Jason said. The air turned cold and a small cyclone formed in the fields nearby. It tore through and Naruto watched with a grimace as a familiar storm spirit trotted to a stop near Jason. Well, that was nice for Jason, but Naruto was ****_not_**** getting back on that thing.**

"Too many shocks on the rear." Piper muttered. She flustered when the eyes landed on her, all curious about what she meant. "It's really annoying."

"Sorry," Jason said sheepishly. "I'll tell Tempest to ease off the voltage."

"Can't carry her away on her noble steed if her butt is fried," Leo said with a sage nod.

Aphrodite tittered while the couple blushed lightly, but continued to smile.

**"Tempest, it's been a while my friend." Jason greeted the spirit. The two stallions had locked eyes, one sparked and the other shifted his feathered wings. Oh, wonderful, the rivalry continues.**

**Naruto leaned on his staff as Piper climbed on Tempest behind Jason and Percy climbed on Blackjack. "Yeah...I'll meet you guys there."**

**"Naruto, c'mon don't argue," Percy said. He smirked when Blackjack suddenly nickered again. "Blackjack says he'll fly smooth."**

"He's faster than the horses." Athena smiled smugly.

Poseidon grimaced. He was _not_ going to hear the end of that one.

**"I'm good, I'll catch up." Naruto didn't want to add that the winged horse kind of weirded him out. It was too new, too different and Naruto never went around the Pegasus stables at camp, so he hadn't adjusted to their existence yet. Naruto didn't want to hurt Blackjack in general. One joke dive from the flying horse and Naruto could very well try to cling to him with chakra.**

**Things without chakra didn't react well to chakra.**

"Yeah, he runs." Percy nodded. Blackjack was not getting hurt for a joke. He was still recovering from the arrow to the flank.

**Percy, Jason, and Piper shared a look before Percy looked back at Naruto. "Okay...well, just...try to not get run over or something."**

**"Right," Naruto said. He watched the two take off and waited a moment. "So, how long do you think it'll take them to get there?"**

**"****_Hm, five, six minutes tops."_**** Kurama chuckled. ****_"Tailed Beast cloak?"_**

**"It's like you read my mind," Naruto said before he burst into gold light and sped into the fields. He passed Tempest and Blackjack with ease. Both, while fast in their own right, had nothing on him. Naruto had outpaced the Third and Fourth Raikage, both of whom were able to move as fast as lightning with their Lightning Armor.**

Zeus made a noise of interest at that.

**Though this did raise the question, was Tempest as fast as lightning or was that just a way to show he belonged in the sky lord's domain?**

"Just a show." Jason stated.

"Like a trippy lightshow, man." Leo grinned lazily with half lidded eyes.

Piper palmed her face at the hippy impression.

**Naruto grinned at the surprised looks on the three demigods' faces when they came to a stop next to the marker. "Hey, what took you guys so long?"**

**"How...? When?" Percy's confused frown turned into a broody pout, and Jason's own confusion had slipped into a small scowl.**

Annabeth and Piper laughed at their faces while the boys looked embarrassed for being laughed at.

**"Did you teleport or something?" Piper asked her brother.**

**Naruto shook his head. "Nah, don't need to. I'm fast enough to get around without one."**

**"****_Understatement."_**** Kurama snorted. Naruto had put the smack down on Obito once he found a way to predict the Uchiha's teleportation move.**

**"Okay, well...there's no one here," Percy said. He looked at Piper. "What does this guy look like? Maybe you saw Naruto beating us here."**

**"It wasn't Naruto. It was a guy with grapevines in his hat and a silver goblet," Piper said.**

**"Grape vines in his hat? Sounds like Bacchus to me," Jason said with a frown.**

**"Back what?" Naruto asked.**

"Thanks for the confusion on that one, father." Dionysus scowled at his father.

"Don't complain. You lived." Zeus dryly retorted

Hera sighed and added under her breath. "Sadly."

**"He'd be Dionysus to you," Jason said.**

**Percy suddenly glowered. "We came all this way to see Mr. D? I should've stayed on the boat."**

"Now, now, Peter, no need to be a child." Mr. D sniffed.

"Says the whiner himself," Ares said with a smirk.

Apollo snorted. "_You're_ the whiner, Ares. D is our portly anger issue-filled boy."

"Hey!" The two gods called out in offense.

**"He can't be that bad," Piper said. Percy snorted and Blackjack nickered again, though it sounded like a laugh.**

**"Well, either way, there was no one here when I got here," Naruto said. He scratched his head. "Maybe there's another Mile 32 marker somewhere in another Topeka."**

**"No, it's this one, I'm sure of it," Piper said with a dismissive shake of her head.**

**"We should go back since there's no sign of the wine dude," Percy said.**

"Peter, what have I told you?" Dionysus glared at Percy.

Percy shrugged at the god. "I don't remember. Mortal memory and all."

**"I beg your pardon?"**

**Naruto froze and slowly turned around toward the source of the voice. The wheat behind him suddenly began to part and a tall man in his thirties wearing a purple shirt and a vine-ridden hat walked out. He looked at the four with a frown on his face.**

**"Did someone just call me 'wine dude'?" he asked in a lazy drawl. "It's Bacchus, please. Or Mr. Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don't-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus."**

"Hm, I like that." Ares nodded.

**"****_...Those are some good names,"_**** Kurama said. ****_"I like this guy."_**

"Well, there's a fine fellow indeed." Dionysus smiled.

Percy silently gagged.

**"You would." Naruto muttered, still a bit unsettled by the god's appearance. So not cool.**

**"You look different," Percy said. "Skinnier. Your hair's longer and your shirt isn't so loud."**

"Oh gods." Thalia palmed her face with a groan. Percy still failed when it came to talking to the gods.

**Bacchus stared at him as though he were crazy. "What the blazes are you on about? Who are you, and where is Ceres?"**

**"...What series? World series?" Percy asked.**

"…That just hurt my brain." Reyna rubbed her temple.

Thalia snorted. "Percy Jackson. Savior of Olympus and Hurter of Brains."

Percy gave a sheepish laugh. It wasn't wrong.

**"He means Ceres," Jason said. "Goddess of Agriculture."**

**"Oh, Demeter," Naruto said with a nod. "Dated one of her daughters for a couple of weeks. Liked her, but she was a bit...clingy."**

"Says a lot, doesn't it?" Hades asked airily.

Demeter glared at him, the ears of corn in her hair started to pop into popcorn.

"Yay, refill." Leo grinned as he held out a bowl to catch the free food.

**Piper looked unsettled at the comment while Bacchus nodded at Naruto's words. "Yes, Ceres' daughters do tend to inherit her eccentrics. Poor Pluto, never a day's rest...but back to the matter at hand, where is Ceres? She's the one that called me here for this meeting."**

**"She's not here, Lord Bacchus," Jason said. He urged Tempest to stand beside Blackjack. "Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that leopard in Sonoma."**

"Oh gods, you had to help him?" Percy whispered to Jason.

"It wasn't that bad." Jason whispered back.

Percy didn't seem convinced and continued to give him a look of pity.

**"Sonoma?" Bacchus rubbed his chin for a moment before he nodded. "Ah, yes. John Green was it?"**

"Jason Green Day." Thalia hummed.

"Never." The blond told his sister.

"Bah, you don't know good music."

**"Jason Grace, sir."**

**"Same difference," Bacchus said with a shrug. "Did Ceres send you in her stead?"**

**"No, sir. Were you hoping to meet her here?"**

**Bacchus snorted and glowered at the boy. "Are you deaf in both ears or did my words just pass through with ease, Mr. Granite?"**

**"Grace, sir."**

**"That's what I said." Bacchus grunted with a small scowl. "Yes, I wanted to meet her here, she chose the spot. Ceres asked to meet in Kansas for council on the war. With Gaia rising, all of the crops have started to wither. Draught is starting to spread. Karpoi are beginning to revolt. Even my grapes aren't safe. Ceres wanted to create a united front in the plant war."**

"Planeteers assemble!" Thalia laughed. She frowned when she got a few odds looks from her friends. "Seriously? Man, I feel old." She mumbled to herself.

"Wait until you hit your first century," Hermes said.

"_If_ she hits it." Hades grunted.

**"...A plant war?" Percy asked with disbelief. "What, are you going to arm all the grapes with tiny machine guns?"**

Ares looked hopefully at Dionysus.

"No."

"D, come on! Throw me a bone!"

"No, Ares!"

**Bacchus scowled at him. "We've met before, haven't we? I'm getting a very quick dislike for you. Almost as if it's a second nature to me."**

**"We met at Camp Half-Blood," Percy said. "I know you as Mr. D, er, Dionysus."**

**Bacchus grabbed at his head and his form flickered for a moment. Naruto blinked at the glimpse of Dionysus. A curly beard, larger stomach, and an ****_awesome_**** orange shirt with tiger-like stripes on it. **

Dionysus smiled. "At least the boy has taste."

Aphrodite on the other hand gagged. "He's just confused! Nothing you wear is fashionable!"

"Uh huh, whatever you say Aphrodite. I think I might wear an orange shirt to the next meeting."

Aphrodite glared at him.

**A grin crossed the whiskered boy's face. He knew the gods loved orange.**

**"Stop that!" Bacchus demanded as he glared at Percy. "Stop thinking of me in my Greek form!"**

**"But-?"**

**"Do you know how hard it is to be focused on something right now? I get splitting headaches all the time! I find myself doing something or going somewhere and I can't remember why! I'm constantly aggravated all the time!"**

"It was the biggest pain in the world, it was why we were on Delos." Apollo grimaced. His other self was way too stiff. And he always played Jazz music for some reason.

Artemis nodded in rare agreement. She was not a fan of being Diana. The Roman Huntress pushed her Hunters to the limit and barely allowed for camps to be set.

**"That sounds about right," Percy said. It was then Naruto noted that Percy was probably ****_not_**** helping the situation at all. However, that didn't mean Naruto was going to step in. This was too funny to mess with.**

"Thanks for having my back bro." Percy rolled his eyes.

**Bacchus' nostrils flared. One of the leaves on his hat burst into flames. "If we ****_do_**** know each other from that ****_other_**** camp, I wonder why I hadn't turned you into a dolphin yet."**

**"Oh, we discussed that. In the end, I think you were just too lazy to follow through," Percy said with a shrug. Naruto had to stifle his laughter. This was amazing. It was like he was watching something akin to a huge misfortunate event unfold before him.**

"Like a train wreck." Ares simplified with a fond smile.

"Seriously, dropped on the head as a baby." Hermes shook his head.

Athena hummed. "I thought that was you?"

"No, I landed with the grace of a monkey. Ares was probably dropped on his head for the hell of it."

Ares didn't seem offended and Hera groaned. That certainly would explain a lot.

**"****_Your aunt is right, he is just like you,"_**** Kurama said in horrified awe. ****_"This needs to stop. The god is losing his grip on his restraint."_**

**_Aw, do we have to?_**** Naruto asked with a smile.**

**"****_Do you want to explain to your aunt that you could've prevented her mate from being turned into a fish but didn't because it was too funny to stop?"_**

"Yeah, do something." Annabeth glared with crossed arms. She was not a fan of having a merman boyfriend.

**_Point taken._**** Naruto cleared his throat after Percy gave another witty/snarky comment that made another leaf go up in flames. "Excuse me, Bacchus?"**

**"What do you want?" Bacchus asked, still irritated from conversing with Percy.**

**"Er..." Naruto scratched at the side of his cheek. ****_Uh, crap. Ideas?_**

**"****_Ask him for help,"_**** Kurama said.**

**"Spit it out boy! I haven't got all day!" Bacchus growled, his eyes a faint purple compared to the light red they were before.**

**"Right, sorry, sorry. It's just, we need your help," Naruto said. "Your advice on something."**

**"Really? Well for your information, Whisker Boy, I don't go helping people out of the bottom of my heart," Bacchus said with a frown. He spun his hand around and a can of Diet Pepsi appeared in it. He popped the tab and took a sip. "Ah, refreshing."**

"Bleh, disgusting." Dionysus blanched.

**"Don't you drink Diet Coke?" Percy pointed out.**

**"Percy, quiet," Piper said with force behind it. **

"Thanks for the save, Piper," Annabeth said gratefully.

"No problem, it's what I do." Piper smiled in return.

**Percy shut up and Naruto snickered. Oh, he wants to be there to hear Piper explain that to Annabeth. **

"Dick," Percy said under his breath.

**Piper slipped from Tempest's back and stood before Bacchus respectfully. "Please, Lord Bacchus, just share some wisdom with us. Can't you give some advice?"**

**Bacchus looked at his Diet Pepsi and swirled it slightly in his hand before he looked back at Piper. "Hm, well you are respectable, more-so than the one riding the Pegasus. Very well, I can give you some advice. Personally, I would avoid karaoke. Why Apollo thought that'd stay a trend in America, I haven't a clue. Actually, avoid any theme parties, far too risky especially for someone of your age. Could ruin your reputation. In today's world, people are looking for a simple and low key affair, with organic foods, simple dress requirements–"**

"She did say some advice." Dionysus laughed with a ghosting smile at the dry looks he got.

"He's got a point," Athena begrudgingly agreed.

**"Not about parties," Piper said. With his eyes narrowed on her, she quickly added, "but that's good advice, Lord Bacchus. I'll keep it in mind when we plan on celebrating. What we need is help on our quest."**

**Piper began to explain their situation, Bacchus nodded every now and again. She spoke of their journey and the warning Nemesis had given about a timeline that would lead to the fall of Rome. She explained that she had a vision of him at this spot where he would give them a silver goblet for some reason.**

**"A silver goblet? I prefer gold myself. Imperial gold if Olympian isn't available," Bacchus said with a frown. He didn't look excited at all for this request. "I haven't a goblet, chalice or any such thing girl. All I can offer you is some Pepsi. Jupiter, for some reason, has ordered me to ****_avoid_**** giving minors wine. **

"I still don't get it," Dionysus said with a befuddled look.

"Seriously?" Hermes asked him.

"What? I don't!"

**Shame that, we all deserve to have a bit of fun. As to the giants, I know them well. Did you know I fought in the first Giant War?"**

**"I had assumed, but didn't wish to voice it in case I was wrong," Piper said. Naruto gagged at how proper his Imouto sounded. It sounded so...weird.**

**"You fight?" Percy, however, needed to learn to know when to shut up and look good. Even Naruto knew when to do that.**

Percy brooded at that.

**Bacchus snarled at him. The Diet Pepsi in his hand turned into a long staff, much like Naruto's, only it had vines trailed down from the tip, where a pinecone had been perched.**

**"A thyrsus!" Piper exclaimed before Bacchus could whack Percy with it. "What a mighty weapon!"**

"It truly is." Dionysus nodded.

"Yeah right, give me a spear any day." Ares snorted.

"Humph! Like an idiot such as you could ever wield it masterfully."

**"****_Percy owes her. That god was about to snuff him out,"_**** Kurama said.**

**_No shit._**** Naruto snorted.**

"…Thank you, Piper."

"No problem, Percy."

**"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Bacchus said with a smile as he looked at his weapon with pride. "I'm so glad there's someone among you four with a brain between their shoulders. The pinecone is a mighty weapon, fearsome and powerful! I was a demigod during the war, you know. A son of Jupiter!"**

**From the corner of his eye, Naruto noticed Jason start to look uncomfortable again. Naruto didn't see why, Bacchus was an okay guy.**

The Greek children of the Big Three and Annabeth snorted at that.

"I like this one," Dionysus said with a smirk.

**"This thyrsus helped me put down those buffoons I faced against." Bacchus smiled as he swung his weapon, his pot belly throwing him a tad off balance. "Of course, this was before I invented wine and became a god. There was another demigod there, I think. Mary Cheese? Barry Fees? ...Harry Cleese, yes that was it."**

**"Heracles?" Jason asked.**

"Why do we say Hercules and they say Heracles?" Percy asked with confusion.

"Because it's funny." Hera smiled.

"And because of culture change." Zeus added in defense of his famous son.

**"I said that," Bacchus said with a frown at him. He shrugged. "Anyway, I killed the giants Ephialtes and Otis. Bores, the both of them. Dreadfully dull. I gave them each a pinecone to the face!"**

"Humiliation." Apollo said in the Mortal Kombat announcer voice.

**"Lord Bacchus, these two giants wouldn't happen to be twins, would they?" Piper asked nervously.**

**Bacchus tilted his head as he thought about it. "Twins? ...Yes, no? No, yes! Yes, they were twins. That's right."**

**"That's why we're here," Piper said. Both she and Jason had a gleam of realization in their eyes that Naruto didn't understand. Did he miss something again? "You're part of our quest."**

**Bacchus frowned at her. "I'm sorry, girl. I haven't been a demigod for a long time. I don't ****_do_**** quests. I can assign them, but I don't feel like it right now. Try again next year."**

**"But giants can only be killed by demigods and gods working together," Jason said. "You're a god, we have to go stop two giants before they destroy Rome. You must be able to help us somehow!"**

**"Jeremy Grant, you will watch your tone when you speak to me," Bacchus said with a glare at Jason. **

"Wow, you're own Giants? Come on, D." Apollo rolled his eyes. The god had two! He and Arte had to share one. So not cool.

**"I don't have to ****_do_**** anything. I only help those that give me a proper tribute and I haven't gotten one of those in ****_ages_****."**

**"A tribute?" Naruto asked. "Like some food in the hearth?"**

**"Much more complex, boy," Bacchus said with a snort. "You couldn't handle it if you tried."**

**Well, now Naruto wanted to try if only to throw Bacchus' words back in his face.**

"Cheeky brat." Mr. D sniffed as he sipped his Diet Coke.

**Bacchus turned his thyrsus back into a can of Diet Pepsi. "But, I suppose I can give you some advice, girl. You were the only one with a good attitude."**

**"Um, th-thank you, Lord Bacchus," Piper said, a bit surprised.**

**"Uh-huh. Anyway, seek out Gaia's son, Phorcys. He and his mother have never seen eye to eye, which I suppose makes sense. Wasn't a big fan of his brothers, either," Bacchus said. He took a sip of his Diet Coke. "Last I heard he was in that city named after that heroine, what's-her-name? Atalanta?"**

"Amazing that he gets that right." Artemis smiled at her once faithful hunter and glared at Aphrodite.

The love goddess just tittered, a golden apple in her fingers as she took a sensual bite of it.

**"Atlanta?" Piper asked.**

**"That's the one." Bacchus nodded.**

**"Phorcys...Is he a giant?" Percy asked. "A Titan?"**

**"Not one or the other," Bacchus said. "I'd look for him by the salt water."**

**"In Atlanta?"**

**Bacchus grimaced at him. "Are you hard of hearing, too? I just said that. If you want insight on Gaia or the twins, seek out Phorcys. Do watch him, if you do seek him out, though."**

Percy and Frank shivered. They were almost a Sea World attraction. Not a fun time.

**"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked with a frown.**

**Bacchus ignored him as he looked at the sun, which was now high overhead in the center of the clear sky. "Ceres is never this late. Very unlike her. She'd never delay a meeting of this importance if she requested it unless she sensed something dangerous. Or..."**

**The god's eyes widened. "Or a trap." He looked at the demigods with severity. "Well, now, I must be off. Things to do, people to drive mad, you know how it is. If I were you, though, I'd do the same."**

"Yes, flee D, flee." Ares snickered.

"I had things to do." Dionysus shrugged. "Plus I didn't want to end up like Artemis did back a few winters ago."

Artemis glowered at the reminder of her capture.

**"No, Lord Bacchus, wait!" Piper said with a hand slightly outstretched as though to grab him. He was gone before she even moved. Faster than a blink of an eye. He had disappeared with the sound of a can top being opened.**

**The lingering scent of grape was an interesting touch.**

**"That was kind of cool...I'm still faster than it, though." Naruto rubbed his chin. "There's something to try...now if only I could meet a god that would let me test that fairly..."**

Hermes and Apollo raised their hands eagerly.

"No." Zeus rebuffed.

"Aww..." The two runners sighed dejectedly.

**Naruto went stiff as an ominous wind brushed past his skin. A whisper danced on it, so soft that Naruto wasn't even sure he had actually heard it. It sounded like his Jiji, the Sandaime Hokage, and it sounded as urgent as Bacchus looked before he left. It was two words that he wasn't sure were actually spoken: Gaia is here.**

"That's not good." Percy figured.

"Ya think?" Leo asked him.

**After the warning that Naruto was still trying to make sense of, another voice, this one much clearer and more feminine, made itself known.**

**Hello heroes, I've been waiting for you.**

"Spine tingling," Reyna frowned. Good thing Gaia was now like her late husband. She could no longer affect the world.

"I'll go next," Piper said as she took the book from Hazel.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**7: Eidolons**

"Oh joy, them." Piper sighed after she read the title. Jason, Percy and Leo all grimaced as Piper continued.

**"Gaia!" Jason and Percy both drew their swords and their steeds grew wary. The sunflowers turned towards them ominously and the grains around them became akin to thousands of scythes ready to move at a moment's notice.**

Leo whistled. "Damn, that's some scary plants."

"You could just set them on fire." Hazel pointed out, not aware of the offended look Demeter gave her. The goddess then glared at Hades, who was quick to hide his smirk.

Leo, equally unaware, shrugged. "That's still seriously scary."

**I need the blood of a boy and girl. The voice was warm, yet powerful and old. Hypnotic, that's how Naruto would describe it. Like a genjutsu from Itachi Uchiha, it made him doubt his own senses. Hopefully, faces of his friends wouldn't start to sprout from his body. Talk about reliving a nightmare.**

Hazel hummed.

"No," Nico told her.

"But that sounds like an interesting illusion."

"No." The son of Hades told her again, his stance firm.

**"Show yourself!" Jason demanded. He hid his fear well, they all did. To the trained eye, it was easy to spot. Naruto tightened his grip around his staff and looked at his bandaged hand. If need be...he would release the Rikudō chakra he had sealed away. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.**

**One girl and three boys, what a lovely treat I've been offered. What was it Bacchus said? That today's people would like organic snacks and a simple get together?**

Dionysus shifted in his seat. "That's just all kinds of wrong. And it's completely out of context!"

**"****_Okay, she's really starting to creep me out. And I don't get spooked easily,"_**** Kurama said.**

**_I hear you._**** Naruto frowned. Even Zabuza didn't unnerve him as much as this voice, Gaia, did.**

**Since there's only one girl present, I will give her the choice of who accompanies her to my revival. Will it be the son of Jupiter, who looks so just and handsome upon his steed?**

"I think she likes you." Leo whispered to Jason.

"He's taken." The reader said dryly.

**Piper scowled at the voice and Jason let a light shudder cross his body.**

**Or perhaps she'll want to be joined by the noble and roguish son of Poseidon?**

"Well she's not wrong," Annabeth smiled at Percy.

Apollo sniggered. "I think she'd go for Percy, I mean, Poseidon did it with her."

Poseidon rolled his eyes at the reminder of his messed up son, Antaeus.

**"Lady, you are messed up," Percy said with a grimace.**

**Oh, I know! Nothing brings more joy than a family event. Maybe she should choose her charming brother, who has claimed the role of a warrior and taken the attention of the sky itself.**

"No he hasn't." Zeus frowned.

"Original sky lord." Aphrodite giggled, which made Zeus scowl.

**Naruto tightened his grip and narrowed his eyes. The air shifted and what was once a clear day started to cloud.**

**Yes...I think that would be most appropriate, seeing as it was all because of ****_him_**** that I wound up so desperate, that my son followed in ****_his_**** footsteps and that the cycle repeated endlessly.**

"Like father, like son." Athena nodded.

"That's not true at all." Ares glared at Frank.

"For the rest? Oh yeah." Hermes nodded as the male demigods looked to their fathers as if they were considering it.

**"Any ideas who this 'him' is that she's talking about?" Naruto asked the others. They shook their heads and he groaned. "Figures."**

**Choose girl. Two must die.**

"Oh! Drama!"

"Mom, not now!" Piper grumbled.

Aphrodite pouted. "Party pooper."

**"I'm not choosing anyone," Piper said with a frown as she held her dagger tightly in one hand. "No one has to die!"**

**Oh, how cute. You think that pitiful charm can work on me? Very well, I will do nothing. I won't force you to choose...however, I won't stop the choice from being made, either.**

Nico frowned. "I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say that isn't good."

"It wasn't," Percy said.

**Jason and Percy suddenly went rigid on their steeds. Their hands tightened around the grips of their swords. Their eyes turned gold and their faces went blank.**

"Huh, so we actually get to see what happens. Nice," Leo said, as he ate some Demeter gifted popcorn.

Thalia frowned at him. "You are way too eager for this."

Leo shrugged. "I got my butt chewed out for blowing stuff up under the influence. I want to see what happened to them."

**"Two must die." They spoke without emotion, in a hollow monotone that sent a shiver down Naruto's spine. They raised their swords and turned their steeds to face one another.**

**"Piper, move!" Naruto was quick to shout as the surprised horses were urged to rush each other, with his sister still between them. The daughter of Aphrodite did as he said, not freezing thanks to the instincts that kept most demigods alive. Jason and Percy's swords clashed, bronze against gold, and sparks shot out as they passed each other.**

Hades groaned as Zeus and Poseidon were watching the scene intently. "Oh gods, look at you two!"

"What?" They both asked innocently.

Hades sighed and rested his cheek on his fist. Immature babies, the both of them.

**"Jason! Percy! Stop!" Piper cried out.**

**"Two must die." The boys repeated as they whirled around and charged at each other once more.**

**"Not today," Naruto said as he separated his staff and tossed it at both teens. He struck both in the side, knocking them from their rides. Tempest vanished in a gust of wind just as Blackjack would've collided with him, and the Pegasus took to the sky, startled by Tempest's absence.**

**Impressive. The voice appraised him. I am interested with how you will fight, demigod. Let's see how you fair against them. Boys?**

"…Oh man. We are so going to get owned, aren't we?" Percy asked.

Jason sighed. "Yep."

Ares looked like it was Christmas.

**"I will live..." Jason said as he rose to his feet. The golden eyes locked onto Naruto and he gripped his gladius with both hands. The clouds rumbled overhead and a bolt crashed down in the distance.**

**"Gaia promised..." Percy said and the earth trembled as he righted himself with his bronze sword. Golden eyes narrowed on Naruto and then looked over to Jason. Jason's golden eyes met his and they nodded at each other.**

"Oh no! My baby is going to be double teamed!"

"MOM!" Piper cried out, mortified at the thought while Annabeth went bright red.

Jason and Percy, however, turned green.

The love goddess giggled at their reactions.

**"Together, we will kill you." They said in the eerie monotone.**

**Naruto breathed through his nose before he grinned. "Well, the best way to knock someone out of a genjutsu...is through pain."**

"Damn," Percy and Jason said together.

Ares rubbed his hands together. "Oh yeah. This is gonna be good."

**He stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest, stilling his breathing and reaching out to the world.**

**What is this? The voice demanded. You...what are you doing? That's my energy! Mine! You can't have it!**

"Nature is his bitch!" Ares whooped.

Demeter cleared her throat and scowled at Ares.

Ares paled and shifted in his seat. "Uh, the _other_ nature, I mean."

He was still glared at.

**"Lady, deal with it," Naruto said as his eyelids became orange and he opened his eyes to reveal golden orbs with horizontal bar-like pupils. "I'm going to end this quickly."**

**Kill h-him! He's...drained me...tired...so tired...**

"Sleepy Gaia is sleepy." Nico smirked. Served her right.

**"Naruto, what did you do?" Piper asked as Gaia's presence faded.**

**"Stay there, Imouto," Naruto said as he looked at the zombie-like duo and he willed the natural energy to be converted into his chakra. His orange eyeliner faded and his eyes returned to the blue they were. It wouldn't be fair to fight them in Sage mode, but Naruto was glad to know that he could take some of the fight out of Gaia. He figured that since Natural Energy came from the Earth, it would come from Gaia. Low and behold, he was right.**

"Very tactical." Athena praised. "At least there is some manner of silencing her, if temporarily."

**Still, Naruto was no fool. He remembered how deadly Jason could be without his memories, and knew how well he fought with them. He hadn't gotten to see Percy in action yet, but from what he'd heard, the son of Poseidon was a natural with a sword.**

**A grin spread across Naruto's face. This was bound to be interesting.**

**"For Gaia." The two charged forward, with Jason just a bit faster. A lightning bolt came down from the sky and struck his sword. Jason flung the bolt at Naruto, who stayed motionless.**

**"Lightning? Really?" Naruto asked with an amused smile. Wind chakra built around his hand and he backhanded the lightning off to the side like it was nothing. **

"Wind trumps lightning it seems," Jason said thoughtfully while Thalia blinked in surprise.

"I'll have to remember that." Poseidon smiled while Zeus glared at him.

**He caught Jason's wrist as the gladius was swung at him and brought his hand back. Naruto's open palm was driven into Jason's stomach and the son of Jupiter was sent soaring back. "Try again."**

**"Die." Percy's monotone almost caught Naruto off guard. The whiskered blond weaved his head back and around the edge of Percy's sword, the tips of his hair being cut slightly. Naruto brought both hands back and drove both palms into Percy's gut, sending the boy flying back much like he did Jason.**

"Look up in the sky! Is it a bird?" Apollo wondered.

"A plane?!" Hermes gasped.

"No, it's the Wonder Dipsticks!" Ares laughed as the boys flushed at the mockery.

**"Come on, don't be so predicable," Naruto said with a small frown. These things had complete control over Jason and Percy, both boys were supposed to be very skilled. As it is, Naruto felt like he was fighting Konohamaru again, only this time it wasn't genin-level Konohamaru, but fresh from their first meeting, hardly good at the Henge no Jutsu Konohamaru.**

"…Ow my pride." Percy winced.

**Percy was quick to rise to his feet and held his hand out at Naruto. The whiskered blond arched a brow before the earth began to shake slightly beneath him. Naruto hummed, intrigued, but not impressed. Channel some chakra into his feet and ta-da, no earthquake effects anymore.**

"Hax!"

"Percy, we've known he can do this." Annabeth said.

Percy pouted. "Still hax!"

**Another bolt of lightning was flung at him and Naruto rolled his eyes before he batted it away.**

**"What is it with lightning users and being one-trick ponies?" Naruto asked. "I mean seriously. Sasuke had the Chidori, and that's all he used. Kakashi-sensei had the Chidori and the Raikiri, and that's all he uses! The Third and Forth Raikages had the Lightning Armor, and that's all ****_they_**** used! **

"Or Zeus just smiting everything." Hades added.

"I don't just do that!" The lightning god protested.

He got dry looks from the rest of the Olympians.

"…Shut up Hades." The king grunted.

**Where's the imagination? The oomph? The creativity?"**

**"Die!" demanded a monotone Jason. Naruto spun around the sword thrust and delivered a hard kick to the other blond's back, which sent Jason tumbling forward.**

**"Naruto, are you really going to fight Jason again?" Piper asked in a mix between awe and horror. She really didn't want Jason to get another head injury. **

"He really needs that helmet." Thalia nodded.

Jason let out a dry laugh, but also subconsciously rubbed his head.

**One blow was enough, and if he lost his memory of her...**

**"He started it," Naruto said. He dropped to his palms and brought his legs around in a windmill to sweep Percy off his feet after the black-haired boy took another swing at him. "Besides, this way they're not trying to kill each other. I can take whatever they dish out."**

**He suddenly jolted as a third lightning bolt found its mark and struck him in the back. Naruto looked over his shoulder at the burning hole in his hoodie just below the Uzumaki swirl and then glared at Jason. The blond son of Jupiter froze as a wave of killing intent washed over him, the entity within unfamiliar with the negative wave sent its way.**

"Aw man." Jason groaned and clapped a hand over his eyes.

"You don't mess with a dude's hoodie, bro." Leo shook his head.

"It's not like I was in control!" Jason protested.

"True, but still..." Percy reached over and patted Jason's shoulder. "It was nice listening about other you."

**Percy jumped at him with his sword high, prepared to bring it down on the motionless whiskered demigod. The sword passed through Naruto, bisecting him at the shoulder, before Naruto exploded and a parted log took his place. While the mind-controlled Percy took in this information, Naruto reappeared with his leg brought back.**

**"I need you out of commission for a moment, so, sorry in advance." Naruto frowned as he brought his leg forward and nailed Percy right in the pearls.**

All males winced and covered themselves while Percy went ghost white.

"No! Percabeth hasn't done it yet!"

"Mom!" Piper glared at the goddess while the couple in question flushed.

"Can you read it again?" Ares asked. He frowned as his request was ignored.

**Piper winced and looked away, that might've been a bit much.**

**Percy let out a gurgle before he crumpled to the ground. It seems whatever was controlling him felt that pain. It was the universal weak spot, after all. For guys ****_and_**** girls. Guys were just more prone to get hit there.**

**Naruto turned to face Jason with murder in his blue eyes. "You ruined my jacket..."**

Nico smirked. "You done goofed."

Jason turned to him with a look of annoyance on his face. "Why do you sound happy?!"

Nico shrugged. "It's funny."

Jason readily disagreed.

**Kurama groaned. ****_"Really? It's not like you don't have duplicates of it."_**

**_It was a gift from Ayame-neechan and the old man, and besides, it's the principle of the thing!_**

**"****_Sage above, you're without a doubt the oddest container I've ever had."_**** Kurama chuckled darkly. ****_"But, who am I to argue against some violence? Kick his ass, Naruto."_**

**Naruto moved before the son of Jupiter could let out a sound. He vanished and reappeared with his knee imbedded in Jason's stomach. The boy folded over his knee and then went flying back, landing in a roll until he stopped with his face on the ground and his butt in the air. **

"Nice position." Aphrodite giggled. "Great view."

"Please shut up?" Artemis groaned.

"Humph, prude."

**Jason put his hands on the dirt and started to get to his feet when he heard a voice come from behind him.**

**Naruto crouched behind Jason with his index and middle fingers pressed together in the Tiger hand seal. His eyes were closed and an ominous aura radiated off of him. His eyes snapped open and gleamed with evil intent.**

"Not again…" Jason whimpered.

**"Konohagakure Hiden Taijutsu Ōgi: Sennin Goroshi (Konohagakure's Most Secret and Sacred Hand Technique: One Thousand Years of Death)!"**

**Naruto shoved his chakra-encased fingers right into Jason's raised rear and time stopped. The gold in Jason's eyes suddenly vanished and his electric blue eyes widened immensely. Jason let out a rather undignified shriek as he went flying across the fields. He soared for a good mile before he landed in the grains, a dust cloud shooting up from his impact.**

Aphrodite sighed forlornly. "Drat, Jason lost his anal virginity. Too bad, Sweetie."

"MOM!" Piper exclaimed over the laughter of the other demigods, her face now just as red as Jason's was.

"I am SO using that!" Ares, Apollo and Hermes declared with grins on their faces as they looked at Naruto's hands on the screen post attack.

**Piper just watched with a blush on her face. Was that even really a ninja technique? All Naruto did was poke Jason in the ass! Piper's blush intensified and she rubbed her face. She'd ****_never_**** be able to unsee that.**

**Naruto grinned as the blue energy around his hands dimmed down. Justice has been served and his jacket has been avenged. His grin widened at Kurama's laughter.**

**"****_The most knuckleheaded, unpredictable shinobi! What an accurate name for you, Naruto! Oh Sage, I wish the others could've seen that!"_**** The fox chortled.**

**"Yeah, I do good. And hey, I think I knocked him out of that genjutsu thingy," Naruto said with a grin. "Bonus."**

"No, it's not!" Jason protested.

Thalia patted his head while a snicker escaped her lips. "It needed to be done, Jay."

Jason glared at her. "No, it didn't!"

**The victory wasn't guaranteed, as it seemed Percy had recovered from his blow down below. The son of Poseidon charged at Naruto with his sword aimed to be thrust through the shinobi's chest. Naruto arched a brow and took the stab, before once more he substituted himself with a log. Percy, as emotionless as the controlled body could, let a scowl form on his face.**

**"Praise be the log, for it saves us," Naruto said with his back to Percy's. A pair of hands burst from the ground and grabbed onto Percy's ankles, making the possessed teen start. "Man, I love the Kage Bunshin. They're so useful and quick to get in position. Note to self: Thank Kakashi-sensei for teaching me the Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hiding Like A Mole Technique)."**

"Ninja's are broken." Percy frowned. "How am I supposed to counter that?"

"You're not." Annabeth replied with a shrug.

"Thanks for the support, Wise Girl."

**"This will not hold me." Percy's monotone voice declared. "I will kill two and live again."**

**"Live again?" Naruto asked, not moving from where he stood. "Are you dead or something?"**

**"I am eidolon, promised life once more by mother Gaia."**

Hades rubbed his chin. "Huh, so that's what Gaia did with them. Smart move."

"Deadly is more like it." Athena frowned. "Imagine if she sent some to both camps? It would have been devastating."

"A good out for our kids, though," Apollo murmured.

**Naruto paled and began to shake. "Oh man...Not a ghost. I don't like ghosts."**

"Whoo, he'll love me," Nico rolled his eyes.

Aphrodite's eyes gleamed. "Oh, there's a thought."

Hades glared at her. "No meddling with my children."

"But...Frazel!"

"Hazel decided that on her own."

"True...And Nico plus Naruto would be Narco or Naco."

"Ooh, Nachos..." Apollo made some appear before him.

**Kurama laughed. ****_"The mighty Nidaime Rikudō Sennin, savior to the world, defeater of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki...and he's still afraid of ghosts."_**

**"Hey, phobia's aren't supposed to be rational, Kurama!" Naruto glared at his naval. He shuddered. "They're just so eerie! And you can't punch 'em in the face!"**

"I can." Nico and Hades retorted.

**"I will live again." The eidolon declared as he turned Percy's sword around and lifted it in the air. He brought it back to stab Naruto, only for the whiskered blond to replace himself with a log once again.**

**"I'm going to have to plant a tree or something to atone for all these substitutions," Naruto said as he reappeared in front of Percy. He shuddered at the blank stare the eidolon gave him. "You are seriously creepy."**

**"And your whiskers are stupid," the Percy-like voice said.**

"They are fabulous!" Aphrodite heatedly argued.

**Naruto's eye twitched. He lifted his leg quickly and mercilessly to deliver another blow to the junk. **

"Why?!" Percy gaped while Ares laughed at his misery.

**The hands around Percy's ankles exploded into smoke, allowing the golden-eyed Percy to slump to his knees and hiss, with a hand over the assaulted area. A minute passed before the eidolon got back to its feet.**

**"You...Can not...harm me..."**

"Yeah, you're harming me!" Percy pointed to himself with an irritated look on his face.

**Naruto smirked. "That's not very convincing."**

**Wham. Not-Percy dropped again. He rose once more.**

**"All...you...are doing...is injuring...the boy..."**

**"He'll live." Naruto chuckled at the words he used.**

**Wham. Down went Not-Percy. Shakily, he got back to his feet.**

**"Is that...the best...you got...?"**

"Stop talking and stay down!" Percy cried out. Damn his durability! Damn it to deepest part of Hades!

Hades turned to Poseidon. "You know, this is sort of your fault. You can take a lot of hits."

Poseidon glared at his brother while his son turned and mildly glared at him.

**"No, but I am impressed. I can't take more than two hits before I black out," Naruto said.**

"See Jackson? Take pride in that." Ares laughed while he sipped his nectar laced beer.

Percy looked like he was going to snap if not for Annabeth calming him down.

**Wham. Again, Not-Percy dropped to the ground. This time he didn't get up.**

**"You keep kicking me in the dick..." Not-Percy's voice was higher and tears were brimming at the edge of his eyes. "Why? Why do you keep kicking me in the dick?"**

"It's hilarious." Ares smiled.

"And painful." Thalia nodded. She found this to be great entertainment.

**"You want to live? Life is pain. I'm just reminding you. Oh, and Percy, if you're in there, sorry dude. But it's either this, or I poke you in the ass." Naruto shrugged. He'd rather get kicked in the dick multiple times rather than take a Sennin Goroshi again. The shinobi shuddered. It truly was one of the most frightening techniques in his arsenal.**

"That's honestly a coin flip." Frank frowned.

"I find it appalling." Reyna grimaced.

**"I...Will...Live...Again..." The eidolon got to its feet once more.**

**Naruto shook his head. "No you won't."**

**Naruto dropped to his knees with his arm brought back. The fist flew forward and the eidolon possessed-Percy's eyes went wide as it collided with the still tender pearls. The gold faded and Percy let out a squeak before he fell to the side, unconscious.**

"And that's going on YouTube." Ares smiled as he recorded the partially animated scene.

"No." Poseidon glared.

"Oh come on! Let me enjoy this!" The war god whined.

**The whiskered blond nodded and got to his feet. He reached down and picked Percy up, throwing the boy over his shoulders with ease. Naruto looked over at his stunned sister and he grinned sheepishly.**

**"What? I couldn't beat the crap out of them like I did Leo and Jason last time."**

**Piper glowered at the reminder of Medea but looked over in the area where Jason landed with worry. Blackjack trotted up to them from the grains with Jason on his back. Naruto smiled at him.**

**"Thanks, Blackjack," Naruto said with a smile as he lightly stroked the horse's neck. "Can you carry Percy, too?"**

**Blackjack snorted and Naruto shrugged. "Just checking."**

"Blackjack said he could carry five." Percy chuckled awkwardly. He wanted Piper to get far away from the scene as fast as possible.

**The whiskered blond dumped the unconscious form of Percy over the Pegasus' back, careful to not restrict the wings, before he grabbed the two parts of his staff and recombined them. He slid his hoodie off and looked at the charred hole with a pout.**

**"Man...I liked this one, too," Naruto said. This was beyond any patchwork. The interior armor was melted and the cloth was ruined. He balled the hoodie up and tossed it to the side of the road before he picked Piper up in a piggyback, much to her protest, and ran at Blackjack's fastest speed back towards the ****_Argo II_****.**

**The hoodie left behind was swallowed into the earth after a moment, and a soft sigh echoed in the area.**

**Much like ****_he_**** was when younger. Very much like ****_he_**** was.**

"Mom, the earth's stalking Naruto," Piper said with worry.

Aphrodite leaned in with a smile on her face. "Oooh."

"Of course she would find that interesting." Artemis sighed.

**"Oh, gods, what happened to them?" Annabeth asked once they returned to the ****_Argo II_****. She looked over the unconscious form of her boyfriend with worry written on her face.**

**"They got possessed by some ghosts," Naruto said simply with a shiver. He grinned proudly and leaned on his staff. "I knocked them out of it before they could kill each other."**

"Not really the smartest thing to say." Annabeth shook her head.

**"...You what?" Annabeth asked, horrified.**

"See?"

**"Don't worry, I didn't do anything too damaging...we might want to get Percy a lot of ice and Jason should have some, uh, stool loosener just in case," Naruto said sheepishly. Piper gave him a look and he shuffled uncomfortably. "Trust me, the Sennin Goroshi is dangerous...not only painful, but can cause constipation."**

**Leo, who walked in on the last comment, suddenly turned around. "I'm out. I don't want to know. I don't want to know."**

"That's one smart dude." Leo nodded.

His friends rolled their eyes.

**"In the dick..." Percy suddenly whimpered softly. "Why? Why the dick?"**

**Annabeth looked from her pained boyfriend to her unharmed nephew. "What did you do to them?"**

**"...ikdjinck..." Naruto mumbled as he looked away.**

**"What was that?" Annabeth narrowed her eyes.**

**Naruto shifted awkwardly and looked to Piper for help, but she was too busy checking on Jason's head wound. With a gulp that made his Adam's apple bounce, Naruto looked back at his aunt and gave her the best apologetic smile he could muster. "I might've...sort of...kicked-him-in-the-dick-over-and-over-while-he-was-possessed."**

"And wait for it…" Thalia laughed.

**"...Wha-Naruto! Why would you do that?!" Annabeth glared at her nephew. That was something campers frowned upon. Even Ares' sons and daughters respected that rule!**

"I call Shenanigans!" Apollo protested. "They do so do it!"

Ares laughed in agreement.

**"It was the only really non-lethal move I could think of! ...Well, that, or I would use the Sennin Goroshi on him like I did Jason," Naruto said.**

**Jason shivered in his sleep and rolled onto his side with a grimace.**

"I think he'll need some therapy." Piper frowned.

"I would after something like that." Frank shivered.

**"...Wait, hold up, you used the Sennin Goroshi on Jason!?" Annabeth gaped at her nephew. "How-when did you even learn that!? Minato only learned it from Jiraiya and used it ****_once_**** on Obito during the Genin test!"**

**Naruto scratched his cheek and looked away. "...Kakashi-sensei used it on me..."**

**Annabeth rubbed her head and glanced at the pained grimace on Percy's face. "How many times did you hit him?"**

**"Um...Five?"**

**"Five?!" Annabeth repeated with wide eyes.**

"He was trying for an even six, but Percy just went down." Hermes shrugged.

"There were six blows." Percy grunted. "Final punch took me out."

"Johnny Cage style." Ares smirked.

**Naruto let out a sheepish laugh. "He's, uh, durable?"**

**"...You are ****_so_**** grounded."**

**"Wha-I'm ****_older_**** than you!"**

**"****_Grounded_****!" Annabeth glared at her nephew.**

"Fear Annabeth Chase, for she rules over you like a tyrant!" Leo cried out.

"She has a right to." Reyna nodded, since Annabeth was very level headed.

**"He was trying to ****_stab_**** me!"**

**"I don't care, Naruto, you don't do that in a fight!"**

**"I was trying not to hurt him too bad! I'm sorry he's not as strong as me!"**

Percy pouted a broody pout at that.

**"Both of you, knock it off!" Piper's voice made the two quiet as she mustered a glare at them. "Annabeth, I don't like it either, but it was better than having Naruto go ninja on Jason again. And Naruto, Annabeth's right. Don't do that ****_ever_**** again, or I'll ban ramen from the Argo II, am I clear?!"**

"I take it back, Piper is way scarier." Leo grimaced.

He got a few nods at that one.

Piper frowned and turned to Jason. "I'm not scary, am I?"

Jason, backed into a corner, took one second to shake his head 'no'. Piper turned back to the book and Jason locked eyes with Leo, where he then nodded 'yes'.

**Naruto, who looked like a scolded puppy, nodded while Annabeth frowned and turned to Percy as he groaned.**

**"Diiiick..."**

**Annabeth sighed. "I guess it's better than having him being hit by a Rasengan..."**

**Kurama snorted. ****_"No duh. The boy's internal organs would've been shredded, or bruised, even at the lightest form. You were merciful."_**

"I'd rather take the Rasengan to the gut." Percy frowned as he realized something. He could heal with water…why was no one giving him water?!

**Naruto nodded and winced when Percy groaned again. "I think... one popped..."**

**Kurama sighed. ****_"Humans and their weak spots. This is why I'm glad I don't have an actual gender. I just am."_**

"Lucky bastard." Jason and Percy grumbled.

**_Shut up, Kurama_****. Naruto turned and started to walk away while the two were doted on.**

**As Naruto walked to his room, he frowned as a thought occurred to him. ****_Hey, Kurama. Could you sense their negative intent?_**

**Kurama huffed. ****_"Do you inhale ramen like it's about to expire?"_**

**_Can you still sense them?_**

**Kurama was quiet for a moment. Naruto didn't like that. He stopped walking and waited before Kurama growled. ****_"There's three in total."_**

**Naruto's eyes hardened. "Then we'll wait until the meeting to call them out."**

"That was a fun meeting, it was pizza night!" Leo smiled.

**The gathering for lunch was quiet. Jason and Percy, both rejuvenated from nectar and ambrosia, were still sore. Most of their recovery could be attributed to Hedge, who was pretty decent with healing salves. Though, Jason had needed a cushion to sit on and Percy had an icepack over his lap, both boys glowered at Naruto. To their surprise, Naruto glared back, which made them look away.**

**"Alright," Leo said as he finally arrived. "We're set for Atlanta and I think I convinced Coach not to land at a military base for 'fun'."**

"Aww." Ares whined.

**"Good," Annabeth said with a nod. She looked around the table and looked at Frank and Hazel. "Any sign of Romans?"**

**"We found a few eagles, but Miu took care of them," Frank said. He sent the golden eagle an appraising look from where she had perched next to Naruto. "She's good in aerial combat. How'd you train her?"**

**"I didn't train her," Naruto said as he gave Miu a gentle stroke on the beak. "She's just awesome like that."**

"Eagles are wonderful creatures." Zeus smirked.

"You're so full of yourself." Poseidon rolled his eyes.

"Yet all of Camp Jupiter uses them, eh? _Neptune_?"

Poseidon pursed his lips at that one.

**Miu crooned at his praise and accepted a piece of beef from his offered chopsticks.**

**"We got lucky, there were only three," Hazel said. "And Miu got them all before they could return."**

**Miu received another piece of beef from the whiskered blond.**

**"Well, on our end, repairs are done and we don't have to worry about making anymore stops," Leo said. He frowned. "I wish I had known that Romans had tracking eagles, though. Could've made a smokescreen or something that made us smell like chicken nuggets..."**

**"What's a chicken nugget?" Hazel asked, her brow furrowed.**

Hazel flushed as some sniggered at her naivety. It wasn't her fault she was from the forties!

**Leo stared at her before he nodded. "Right, you missed, like, the last seventy years. Well, my apprentice, a chicken nugget is–"**

**"You can explain later," Annabeth said with a frown. She looked at Piper, took a glance at Naruto, and then looked back at Piper. "Tell them about Bacchus."**

**Piper did. She told them about the conversation they had with the Roman god of wine, the trap sprung by Gaia, and the eidolons that forced the two to fight each other and Naruto. Naruto was tense during the conversation, his eyes locked on Jason and Percy, watching their reactions. His eyes narrowed slightly as he searched for the possible third.**

"I can only wonder," Leo said. He looked at Frank critically. "He's always been a shifty one."

"Ha, ha." Frank said dryly.

"I mean, look at him!"

Frank just glared at the loony smile Leo wore on his face.

**He doubted it was Annabeth or Piper. Both had yet to show any real hostility to anyone without reason. Hazel was another unlikely person to be possessed, considering she was the daughter of Pluto. That left Frank and Leo...and Hedge, but satyrs were already spirits, so that was another unlikely possibility.**

Percy gasped. "It was Hedge all along!"

"He does have that Louisville slugger." Jason nodded.

**Naruto watched Frank as Percy talked about a dream he had about the anti-Poseidon, Polybotes. He absentmindedly scanned the son of Mars as the group talked about Gaia's desire for two demigods, a male and female. The portly boy hadn't shown a lot of hostility, and had been rather kind to Naruto in passing and back at New Rome. However, there was something that had him off edge. He was nervous around Leo, wary, and brash.**

"Because he was a paranoid boyfriend." Leo affirmed.

"…Maybe a little." Frank admitted while Hazel giggled. She thought it was rather cute of Frank to be jealous.

**The Latino in question could still be possessed. He ate a burrito and offered a few soothing jokes, but since his little run off with Hazel, he'd been distant from the others and Naruto. Something was bothering Leo, as well. Was it supernatural, or just teen hormones? Naruto wasn't sure, but since the stop in Utah, Leo was off. The smile was too forced, the jokes worse than ever, and he was distracted often.**

"Nemesis was a downer." Hazel admitted. Leo grunted in agreement.

**"What do you think?"**

**Naruto looked up at the question from Piper. "What?"**

**"About Gaia's interest in you, man," Leo said. "Remember? You said she visited you in Detroit and that fountain in Chicago, she changed faces whenever you were in view."**

**"Not to mention the way she spoke about you," Percy said. "She was comparing you to someone."**

**Naruto frowned. "Yeah...And?"**

**"You're not worried?" Percy asked.**

**Naruto held his tongue for a moment, trying not to lash out at the source of some minor negative emotions sent his way. "Not really."**

**"Naruto, you said Gaia was lonely," Annabeth said. "Don't you think that it's weird that she's so...interested in you?"**

"Booty call?" Aphrodite theorized.

"This is your child, you know." Athena frowned. "And my legacy."

"I'm just wondering!"

**Naruto arched a brow and looked around the table. All eyes were on him, waiting for him to respond. "Yeah, it's weird...but I don't think Tsuchi-chan and I would click. She's, like, the whole planet, right? I'm just a shinobi."**

**Leo snickered. "He's got a point. Might be some size issues."**

**Naruto let a small smile show, but it left as a wave of anger was directed at him.**

**Kurama growled. ****_"It's the pyro. He's got one in him."_**

"Thank you magical talking fox monster." Leo rolled his eyes.

**Naruto tightened his grip on the chopsticks to the point that they snapped. Eyes went to him again and Naruto let a weak smile cross his face. "Whoops, I guess I was too eager to eat my ramen."**

**The demigods had all eyes on him again, but Naruto felt it. There were six more eyes than normal. Three eidolons. Three hosts.**

**Percy.**

**Jason.**

**Leo.**

**"****_Water, Earth, Lightning, Wind and Fire,"_**** Kurama said softly. ****_"The five primary elements. This Gaia covered her bases, she possessed the strongest three."_**

"She really did since they could have been part of the Great Prophecy." Annabeth muttered with a frown.

**_Too bad I'm stronger._**** Naruto stood up and closed his eyes. He let his presence fill the room and listened to the sound of tableware and food clatter to plates under his pressure. The demigods wilted under it, weakly reaching for their weapons as Naruto's killing intent washed over them.**

"Slaughter them all!"

"Ares, shut up." Athena rubbed her eyes. "Plus, one of them is your Roman son."

"Oh, right." Ares rubbed his chin, but eventually shrugged. "Meh, it'll put hair on his chest."

"More like my intestines." Frank protested.

"Bah, you say that like it'll kill ya."

"It will!"

"Pansy."

**"N-Naruto...what are you doing?" Annabeth managed to get out.**

**Naruto moved to the end of the table and crossed his arms, his pressure still encasing the room. He heard Blackjack whinny uncomfortably on the deck and he was sure there was a faint baa from Hedge. He picked Miu up, the bird frozen between the fight-or-flight instincts, and moved her to sit on the counter behind him, where his intent wouldn't be as potent.**

**"We're being spied on," Naruto said calmly. The demigods wanted to ask what he meant, but Naruto held a hand up to keep them quiet. "Not intentionally. The eidolons are still here. All ****_three_**** of them."**

**Naruto narrowed his eyes and let Kurama's intent leak into his own. The demigods' eyes went wide and glazed slightly as they most likely saw their own deaths. **

"Jokes on him, I've already seen mine!" Percy smirked.

"…Seaweed Brain, that's not a good thing!" Annabeth glared at him.

"Oh, right."

**Then it happened, his opening appeared.**

**The eyes of Leo, Jason and Percy turned a glowing gold and they staggered to their feet. A weak flame encased Leo's right hand, while both Jason and Percy gripped their swords and tried to lift them.**

**"Stop." Naruto's voice was calm, cold, and demanding. He let up on the room-filling killer intent and focused on the three possessed boys. The three bodies froze. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Why are you here?"**

"This is not the droid you are looking for," Apollo said in an elderly voice as he waved his hand.

**"Gaia promised us life once again." Percy's dead voice rang out. Annabeth, a hand on her chest as she tried to calm down from Naruto's silent mental attack, gave him a look of worry.**

**"We will live once more." Leo declared emotionlessly. Hazel and Frank were quick to move away from him, and Frank lifted his bow.**

**A kunai cut the string above the thumb, causing a sharp crack to ring out and Frank to drop the bow with a cry. Naruto's eyes never left the three eidolons.**

"My bow!"

"So not cool." Apollo frowned.

Frank was furious.

Ares snorted and scratched his nose. "Pick up a sword, see if he can cut through that."

**"You are not welcome here," Naruto said firmly. "You had your chance and you wasted it."**

**The eidolons hissed at him. Jason's arm shook as he tried to lift his sword.**

**"We were promised life!" Jason hissed.**

**"Not at their expense!" Piper said with a pained scowl on her face. She moved to stand beside Naruto and watched the three. "Are there more of you?"**

**"No. The Earth Mother sent three," Percy said.**

**"The strongest and the best." Leo added.**

**"We will live again." Jason narrowed his eyes.**

"And thus, Piper the Gray raised her mighty staff and said, "Yee shall not pass!" Or something dramatic like that." Leo shrugged and got a playful shove from a giggling Piper.

**Naruto flared his nostrils and growled lowly. "You're just like Orochimaru...using other people's bodies to extend your own life!"**

**"You ****_will_**** leave those bodies," Piper commanded.**

**"No!" Percy growled back.**

**"We ****_must_**** live." Jason frowned.**

**Naruto's fists tightened to the point that his nails pierced his palm and blood leaked out over his fingers. He wanted so badly to beat these things down. They were too much like that traitorous snake bastard. Using bodies of other people to live on, it was disgusting. If Gaia was going so far as to use these things, then he wanted ****_nothing_**** to do with her.**

"Rejected!" Piper whooped.

"She'll weep mud." Leo snickered.

**It was only Piper's hand on his arm that kept him back.**

**"You do not belong here," Piper said again. She added more force to her words. "You ****_will_**** leave those bodies."**

**Sweat appeared on Jason's head as the eidolon growled. "We – we will leave these bodies."**

**"You will vow on the River Styx to never return to this ship and you will never again possess any of its crew." Piper ordered.**

"Piper totally owns them." Hazel smiled, it was amazing to see again. She wondered if she could learn to charmspeak.

**Leo and Percy hissed.**

**"You will promise on the River Styx!" Piper repeated firmly.**

**The tension filled the air and the three bodies struggled visibly. Naruto's eyes flashed red and he growled.**

**"You will do as Piper says."**

"Double charm is super effective." Aphrodite smirked.

"Way to be meta, Dite." Apollo praised. He got a winning smile from the goddess and a jab in the ribs from his twin.

**The eidolons hissed and struggled for another moment before they spoke in perfect unison: "We promise on the River Styx."**

**"You are dead," Piper said.**

**"We...are dead." They repeated.**

**"Now leave!" Piper's eyes hardened.**

"And never haunt this doorstep ever again!"

Nico glared at Leo. "That's racist to ghosts."

"Oh now you're just being picky."

**The three boys crumpled as their eyes lost their glow and shut. Leo landed on his face on the ground, Jason into Piper's arms, and Percy landed with a loud splat face-first into his pizza.**

"Pizza, why do you betray me!" Percy bemoaned dramatically.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Seaweed Brain."

**Naruto felt negative intent coming from outside of the ship and sent a massive wave of both his and Kurama's killing intent out. The ghostly wail was faint, but very rewarding. He watched The Seven recover from the event and he rested against the counter, where Miu nuzzled into his arm. Naruto stroked the eagle gently as she crooned, a frown still on his face.**

**He just knew, deep down, that wasn't the last they would hear of the eidolons.**

"Like uber creepy stalkers. Like Gaia." Leo nodded and held out his hand. "Pass it over, Beauty Queen."

"You got it," Piper said as the pyro elf grinned wildly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**8: Blood for Silver and Gold**

Leo cracked open the book to the next chapter.

**Darkness welcomed Naruto as he slumbered. He walked through shades of people he'd never met, but knew who they were. Shinobi who'd fought in the Fourth War, both in the Alliance and revived to fight against it. They were gathered around something and Naruto made his way to the front to see what it was, passing through the shades with ease.**

"So, a dream about the Underworld?" Percy pondered.

"Is it?" Annabeth asked, seeing as demigod dreams _were _one of Percy's specialties.

Percy nodded. "Yep."

**Once Naruto emerged from the crowd, he looked down in confusion at the pit that stared back at him.**

**"Shinobi****_._****"**

**The voice sounded like what one would expect to come from a massive pit of darkness. It was ancient, guttural and gravelly. The voice made the gathered shinobi – Naruto included – back away from the hole.**

"That's not…" Annabeth trailed off with worry.

"No," Hermes said firmly. "Kronos is scattered, he can't reform ever again."

**A chuckle, one that sent shivers up the spines of all those present, came after their reaction. "You mortals, you are truly the most amusing beings in this world. I do not understand your living language, but here, the dead all speak the same language as I."**

**"Make sense of your words and show yourself!" The voice had Naruto looking for the source. He found it and glared at the massive man. The Third Raikage, A, glared at the hole defiantly. Strange how they hadn't noticed him yet.**

"They never notice unless they can sense dreams." Percy waved off.

**"Straight to the point? How delightful." The Pit's chuckle came again and Naruto watched A attempt (and fail) to not shiver. "I have offers for you. There is a boy I want brought before me."**

**"Why?" A demanded.**

**"He's taken my slumbering consort's attention from ****_me_****." The Pit snarled in anger. "This boy is descended from her first husband and reminds her of him before he wronged her. He's stolen her attention from me. I want him brought before me so that I can sate my desire to crush him in my own hands."**

"…Oh spume, it's Tartarus." Percy shivered as he remembered the void hulking being as he and Annabeth escaped that hell.

Annabeth held his hand tightly as she relieved the memory of that final moment before they entered elevator.

Leo grimaced. "I know you talked about him, but damn."

Hades rubbed his eyes. "He's usually asleep. Very rarely does he wake."

**A crossed his massive arms and scowled. "Why should we do anything for you?"**

**"I figured you'd want an incentive." The Pit chuckled once more. Naruto really didn't like where this was going. "Do this, and I will return you to life. ****_Permanently_****."**

Hades scowled. "Jackass."

"Hades!" Hestia frowned for the curse and for the fact said curse was a slight to her sacred animal.

"Sorry Hestia." The lord of the underworld apologized and then huffed. "I hate when our enemies do that! It was bad enough with Gaia opening the Doors of Death, but that wasn't enough was it? _No_, her lover just has to bring out more dead!"

"You're griping, Hades." Zeus told him.

"I know!"

**Murmurs of excitement and elation at the prospect of life washed through the crowd. Naruto turned when he heard someone comment on seeing Konoha and his fiancé again. The examiner that died during his chunin exams. Another mentioned having a smoke and checking on his students. Naruto turned to the other direction to look at Asuma, who had a hesitant but open look on his face.**

**Asuma stepped forward, his hand at his side. "Who's the target?"**

**The Pit was silent for a moment before a snarl echoed from it. "He is here! Damn the skies' unpredictability! You will be erased at my hand, ****_boy_****! I will ensure it!"**

"Someone's cranky." Apollo snickered.

**Naruto felt the ground rumble beneath his feet and he got the urge to run.**

**"You cannot run from me, ****_boy_****! I ****_am_**** the darkness that surrounds you!"**

**Naruto turned and ran from the pit, passing through shades as he did. The ground cracked at his heels. The crack widened the Pit, as though the hole itself was trying to chase him. If Naruto stopped running, he would fall in. Frankly, Naruto had the feeling there was something more than spikes at the bottom that he had to be worried about.**

"Oh, yes, like lava, more spikes, poison air, poison water, poison ground, just lots of poison all around. Oh yes, and more lava!" Hades listed off with annoyance.

"We get it." The gods told him dryly.

"What? I'm just trying to educate the demigods here."

"We saw," Percy and Annabeth said.

"Well, I still wanted to tell the others."

**"Not even Gaea can save you from my wrath!"**

**The ground cracked ahead of Naruto and he tripped. The Pit widened as he scrambled to get back to his feet. Naruto clawed at the ground, his fingers tore into the strange dirt, as he desperately tried to escape the fate of falling in. The Pit stopped widening and Naruto dangled over the edge with one hand holding him up. A foot pressed down on his hand and caused Naruto to lose his grip, but kept him pinned. His gaze went up to a pair of eyes he hated more than anything in the world. They were red and black, the tomoes connected with small circles and attached to the edge of the iris in three thick pegs. They brought more hatred from Naruto, who wanted so badly to pull them from their sockets.**

"Whoa, who is that?" Jason asked. "That's not Sasuke…"

"Looks like him." Piper said with a frown.

**"I accept your offer." The owner of the eyes' smirked and kicked Naruto's hand in. Naruto continued to glare at the accepting shinobi with hate and fell into the pit's cold darkness. With the last of his energy, he opened his mouth to shout at the one who earned so much of his hatred.**

**"Madara!" Naruto shot up from his roll out mat, now wide-awake. His body was covered in a cold sweat and his heart pounded in his chest.**

"Okay, major villain." Percy frowned. No way Naruto would have such anger for anyone else.

"And we have to go up against him?" Frank frowned. "This doesn't sound fun."

"Chicken." Ares snorted.

**"****_Where!? I'll kill...Oh, don't tell me you had a nightmare! Aren't you too old for those?_****" Kurama's anger settled into mild irritation at being awoken in such a way.**

**"I thought so, too. It felt so real, though." Naruto held a hand to his head and sighed. "Man...I really hope that was just a nightmare."**

"Nope, it was real," the demigods said together.

**"****_What happened?_****"**

**Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but he stopped and instead looked to his door when it burst open.**

**"Naruto, we can't find Annabeth or Percy." Piper's voice was calm, but heavily concerned. She was also already dressed and ready for the day.**

**_How long was I asleep?_**** Naruto wondered before he crossed his fingers. A platoon's worth of clones appeared in his room and raced out past Piper, who flattened herself against the wall to stay out of their way.**

"Hup! Hup! Hup!" Ares said in a stern army tone.

"Ten hut!" Apollo said in a drill sergeant's voice.

**When the last clone disappeared around a corner, Piper looked back at Naruto with a dry expression. "Stampede much?"**

**"You'd be surprised at how effective it can be." Naruto got to his feet and stretched his arms above his head until his back popped. He scratched his side and stifled a yawn before he made his way over to his storage scrolls. "So do you plan to watch me get dressed or...?"**

**"Don't be gross. Hurry up, the others are afraid Annabeth and Percy got kidnapped," Piper said before she shut his door.**

"How?" Percy asked the others.

"Well, you know…" Jason trailed off lamely.

"No, I don't."

**Naruto snorted as he unsealed his clothes and grabbed his replacement hoodie. "Kidnapped? How? We're on a flying ship."**

"Exactly!" Percy threw his arms up.

**Naruto was in the shower when the clone that found Annabeth and Percy dispelled itself. He laughed and wiped a tear away, amused along with the rest of his clones that also dispelled. He was so glad that the clone didn't wake the couple, both asleep in each other's arms.**

"D'aww," Aphrodite cooed with a giggle while Athena huffed a bit with a frown and Poseidon smirked.

The couple in question gave flushed smiles to each other.

**The others' reaction to their discovery was bound to be funny.**

**Naruto was wrong, it wasn't funny.**

**It was ****_hilarious_****.**

Annabeth pouted. "Jerkish nephew."

Piper grinned. "It was funny."

"Shut up."

**Piper, like himself, was amused at the whole situation. **

"See?"

Annabeth glared at her charmspeaking friend.

**Jason and Frank – the one that found them "first" – were stunned, though the Canadian shape shifter looked more uncomfortable than stunned. Leo approved of it all, if his nods and repeated mutters of "classic" were anything to go by. Hazel refused to look either of the two in the face, her cheeks red from embarrassment of the scandal.**

"It wasn't a scandal!" The wise child protested.

Hazel looked the other way, her face pink as she silently disagreed.

**Percy didn't seem to see what the big deal was, as he practically crowed to the room that he and Annabeth had been kissing before they fell asleep. Annabeth glared at him for that one, which allowed Naruto and Leo to quickly shoot the son of Poseidon two thumbs up. Annabeth was about as apologetic as her boyfriend, but she did look embarrassed at being discovered in such a 'position' with him. The morning effect most teenagers had probably didn't help either.**

"So, morning wood anyone?"

"Ares." Athena warned.

"Oh fine…still, Chase is good with a dagger-Ow!" The war god pried out the dagger in his knee that was thrown into his knee. "Why?!"

Athena said nothing, her visage like that of stone.

**"IN THE STABLES!?"**

"The perfect place to hide." Poseidon nodded. He winked at his son who just offered an awkward smile at his dad's approval.

**It was Coach Hedge who had the best reaction of them all. Naruto watched the satyr pace back and forth in front of the two, hollering at the indecency. Annabeth tried to get across that "nothing had happened", though her words weren't believed when Percy would add in "except for a few kisses". **

"Wow, subtle Percy." Thalia shook her head.

"It's true!"

**As Hedge paced again and started to reprimand Annabeth – "You're supposed to be the ****_good_**** one!" - Naruto wondered if he should mention that he found them first, but chose to let them remain undiscovered.**

**Nah.**

**That tidbit of information could be saved for a rainy day.**

"Good boy." Aphrodite giggled.

"I'd do that." Piper admitted with a smile.

**"Okay, I think it's time for breakfast," Jason said, saving Percy and Annabeth from further chewing. The two gave him a grateful look while Naruto pouted.**

**"Such a downer, Flyboy." Naruto grinned when the microwave dinged and he pulled out a cup of instant ramen. He sighed as he took the first bite while he sat on the counter of the small kitchen. "Ahh...Beef flavored."**

**Jason and Piper glowered at him, for separate reasons. "Really?"**

**"What?" Naruto blinked innocently while the others prepared their breakfast. "It's a good way to start the day, get some protein in, make some energy..."**

"Calories to burn off for later." Aphrodite giggled.

"Honestly?" Athena asked her.

"I do what I must."

**"Beef, otherwise known as cow meat, is practically forbidden to me. Cows are sacred to Hera, of whom I am her champion." Jason deadpanned as he prepared a bagel with some jelly.**

"It is rude." Hera nodded.

**"...Wow, sucks for you, Flyboy." Naruto shook his head. "You'll never know the wonders of Beef Ramen, the good mornings it gives us...what a shame."**

**"It's not even real beef. Processed with all sorts of unnecessary fats and oils," Piper grumbled in distaste as she made her own breakfast.**

"Vegetarian for life!"

**"You two were meant for each other," Leo said dryly. He perked up at a mechanical sound. "Festus is on autopilot, he says we're almost at Atlanta."**

**"Good, then maybe we can learn something about where we should go next," Percy said as he sprinkled some blueberries on his pancakes. Naruto found his body moving on autopilot while the groups' conversation turned to Nico di Angelo and his loyalties. **

Nico looked at the group. "Seriously?"

"Uh, River Styx." Percy reminded him.

Nico pointed at his dad.

"Thank you for your unquestionable loyalty, son," Hades said dryly.

"No prob."

**His eyes glazed over as more ramen was lifted to his mouth.**

**Naruto suddenly found himself in his mindscape, face to face with Kurama. The giant fox rested peacefully, his hand-like paws set over one another, and his eyes closed.**

**"I'm not asleep," Kurama said before Naruto could ask why he was pulled into the mindscape if the fox was just dozing. "I'm contemplating your dream."**

**"What about it?" Naruto asked.**

**Kurama's eyes snapped open, irritated and perturbed. "It is inaccessible to me."**

"Wow, he can see his dreams?" Leo asked. "That's awkward…"

"Puberty does that." Piper shook her head.

**"What?" Naruto frowned. "Do you need permission or something?"**

**"No." Kurama huffed, his breath blew over Naruto's face harshly. Naruto grimaced at the poor scent. It got worse when Kurama was mad. "I ****_cannot_**** see it. The memory of it, the existence, the proof. There is no evidence that you dreamed last night."**

**"That-That's impossible!" Naruto protested. "I had a dream, it had to be a dream!"**

**"You didn't dream, Naruto." Kurama insisted. "Whatever you ****_thought_**** was a dream actually happened. Whatever you saw, ****_you_**** saw alone."**

**"What does that mean?" Naruto asked.**

**"I do not know. I do not like it." Kurama growled.**

"The fox is ruffled, get him a squeeze toy." Apollo smirked.

Artemis looked at Apollo with an arched brow. "You don't like him, do you?"

"Not even a little." Apollo told his twin.

**Naruto frowned. "Then what should I do?"**

**Kurama glared at him. "I called you in here to inform you of my discovery. Do with it what you will."**

**The mindscape vanished and Naruto came back to reality, a new cup of instant ramen in his hand. Huh, he really did go on autopilot. Cool. Naruto looked around and realized that Hazel had stormed off for some reason. Naruto debated whether or not he should ask Piper what happened. Meh, he'll get details later, there's ramen to be eaten.**

"…He's so caring," Hazel said dryly.

"He hasn't really gotten to know you yet," Annabeth said.

"Hm, true."

**"Maybe we should decide who should go with you," Jason said suddenly. He glanced over at Naruto. "Naruto?"**

**Naruto paused mid bite of his new cup of ramen. The noodles that dangled from his mouth were slurped up, which earned him looks of disgust from Piper and Annabeth. He hummed in thought.**

**"I'm gonna pass this go around," Naruto said with a grimace as his dream came to light. "Maybe I can find a distant location to train a bit."**

**"****_No._****" "No!" Kurama, Piper and Annabeth denied. **

"Oh, just because he can destroy a few city blocks? Man, you kids have no fun!" Ares threw his arms in the air.

"And the mortals in the crossfire?" Athena asked.

"Meh. Idiots should move."

**Naruto pouted at his sister and aunt, and mentally glowered at Kurama.**

**"****_Until we know the reason behind why I cannot see that dream, I don't want to chance anything else going wrong._****" Kurama elaborated.**

Thalia raised a brow. "Last I checked, Naruto controlled the body."

"It seems to be co-owned," Reyna said.

**Naruto smirked around his ramen. ****_Aw, you do care._**

**"****_Bite me, brat._****"**

**"Then Frank goes," Percy said.**

**Frank, who was chewing part of his sandwich sadly, swallowed and set his food down. "Me? But my bow string is broken, no thanks to Naruto."**

"Oh, man up and use a sword!" Ares grunted.

"So bows are bad?" Apollo glowered and Artemis narrowed her eyes.

"A girly weapon."

The twins exchanged a look and nodded, but did nothing other than give Ares a pair of wicked glares.

**"I said I was sorry!" Naruto pouted childishly and ate another bite of ramen. "It was a jerk knee reaction."**

**"Knee jerk reaction," Annabeth corrected him.**

**"That's what I said."**

"Heh, funny." Hermes snickered, he loved messing with people like that.

**Frank continued, unaffected by Naruto's interruption. "And I'm not going to be the dragon express for everyone."**

**"No, man, I want you to go because you're a legacy of Poseidon. Who else should have my back at this water place?" Percy said. Frank seemed to brighten up at that. Percy then turned to Annabeth. "And that leaves a spot for one more-."**

**"No!" Hedge cut in with a glare to the two. He pointed at Annabeth. "She's grounded!"**

"What?" Athena snapped with a hiss.

**The room went silent before Naruto burst into laughter and fell from the counter where he sat. Piper and Leo looked amused as Annabeth faltered for words. Percy looked stupefied at the proclamation.**

"No, that's a normal look," Nico said as he ate a chocolate bar.

**"G-Grounded?" Annabeth asked. It was like she never heard the word before in her life. **

"I haven't." Annabeth nodded.

"Lies!" Thalia declared. "You are such a little trouble maker."

"I'm taller than you."

"…Semantics!"

**Naruto had to grab his sides so he wouldn't split apart as his laughter grew.**

**"Yes. Obviously you two can't handle being alone together," Hedge said with a stern nod. He glared at Naruto as the blond got back to his feet. "Hey, Whiskers McGee, stop laughing!"**

**"Sure thing, hehe, Fuzzybritches." The grin on Naruto's face was wide and mirthful. He loved today so much.**

**"Then who will go instead?" Jason asked. He shifted in his seat slightly. "I'm the son of Jupiter, so I should probably stay away from the sea. And I'm still recovering from yesterday..."**

"Yes, anal penetration really takes it out of you."

Jason turned scarlet while Piper screeched. "MOM!"

The love goddess just tittered in amusement.

**Leo snorted and Jason glared at Naruto, whose grin didn't even dare to drop. Instead, Naruto looked at Percy.**

**"Are you still recovering?"**

**Percy glared at him. "No. I took a saltwater bath before I...Er, met up with Annabeth."**

**Naruto grinned as Annabeth and Percy's faces flushed. "Hey chika bump bump."**

"…That is both hilarious and sad," Leo said as the others laughed along with him.

**"Blondie, if you're going to say it, say it right." Leo scolded the blond shinobi.**

**Piper lightly smacked Naruto on the arm, a small pout-like frown on her face. "Don't tease them."**

**"Why?"**

**"Because one, it's not nice." Annabeth and Percy sent Piper a grateful look. It was retracted and replaced with a glare as the daughter of Aphrodite continued. "And two, I was going to say that!"**

"Piper!" Annabeth cried out.

"I like teasing you." Piper smirked.

"Oho~!" Aphrodite grinned and looked at Athena with hopeful eyes.

"No."

"Aww."

**"Ah, sorry, Imouto." Naruto chuckled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "So, if I'm not going, Leo?"**

**Leo and Frank met eyes before Leo looked back at Naruto. "Nah, I'm going to skip out on this one...Maybe get a nap in."**

**"I'll go," Hedge said. He grabbed the handle of his bat, which rested at the wall, and grinned. "I'm in the need for a good fight."**

**Naruto rolled his eyes while the others shook their head or ignored the bloodthirsty satyr.**

"Best. Satyr. Ever." Ares praised.

**"Alright, well then Hedge is coming," Percy said with a sad sigh. Naruto didn't blame him, the satyr was not someone Naruto wanted to be stuck alone with.**

**While the three disembarked from the Argo II and went off to search for answers, Naruto sought answers of his own. He stood outside Annabeth's room with Miu perched on his shoulder and knocked on the door.**

**"Anna-baba? Can I come in? I need to ask you something," Naruto said. The door was pulled open and two steeled eyes glared up at him. Naruto felt a bead of sweat go down the side of his face after a moment of uncomfortable staring. "Uh, sorry you got grounded?"**

**"...What do you want, Naruto?" Annabeth asked with a sigh as she let up on the glare.**

**Naruto let his hand drop to his side and he frowned. "Have you ever had a strange dream...that didn't ****_feel_**** like a dream?"**

**Annabeth blinked before she opened her door fully. "That sounds like a demigod dream."**

"Annabeth Chase, the Demigods Wiki." Nico smirked.

Annabeth glared at him. "Wikipedia isn't always right."

"And neither are you surprisingly."

"…Burn…" Leo muttered with a grin while Annabeth's glare steeled.

**"Is there something different about a demigod dream?" Naruto asked as he walked into his aunt's room.**

**"I'm not as experienced in them as Percy is, **

"I could write a book." Percy agreed.

"…No. Never," Athena said.

"Why not?" Poseidon frowned.

Athena scowled at her rival. "Have you seen how your child constructs a sentence? He could never write a book, let alone an interesting story!"

Poseidon hummed in contemplation.

**but sometimes demigods get dreams of importance," Annabeth said. She rubbed her arm and glanced at the silver drachma set on her desk, atop of notes and texts that were sprawled across it. "Sometimes they're warnings, and sometimes they're not entirely clear. Incomplete clues."**

**"...What do you know about a dark pit?" Naruto asked.**

**Annabeth's eyes shot to him. "A pit? What did the voice sound like?"**

**Naruto blinked and Miu fluttered over to perch next to a small stuffed owl. **

"I got her that at Coney Island." Percy bragged.

"And it was very sweet," Annabeth said. She gave him a kiss on the cheek that earned a bright smile from Percy.

**"How'd you know there was a voice?"**

**"This is important, Naruto. What did the voice sound like?" Annabeth insisted. Naruto hadn't seen her this serious in a long time. Not since before they left for Camp Jupiter.**

**"Old, gravelly and very deep," Naruto said. His words seemed to put Annabeth on edge.**

**Annabeth began to pace. "No, no, no. Too soon, he can't have reformed so quickly, even with the Doors open."**

"Paranoid, he can't come back. You'd think she'd remember that." Hermes shook his head.

"It's a worry we all have." Athena told her brother sternly.

"But you confirmed it! So did Hades!"

Athena said nothing to that.

**"Who?" Naruto asked.**

**"Kronos." Annabeth's fists clenched and she groaned. "But how? Luke's sacrifice..."**

**"****_Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Kronos the Titan of Time?_****" Kurama asked.**

**"No, it wasn't Kronos." Naruto interrupted Annabeth's audible pondering. "The Pit itself. The darkness in it...It wanted me." Naruto shuddered at the memory. "Dead."**

**"You don't know that," Annabeth said.**

**Naruto gave her a dry look. "The Pit was surrounded by Shinobi. A few I fought in the war and a few that I knew as a kid."**

"Don't brush off the facts," Percy said sternly. "If he heard and saw it, it's true."

**The image of the smiling bearded smoker that was Asuma Sarutobi flashed through his head. Quickly followed by the coughing chronically sick Hayate Gekko, the swordsman he didn't know as well, but Naruto had fought alongside Hayate's ex-fiancé. Yugao Uzuki was a deadly swordswoman and was definitely his first choice for ANBU commander if she remained in the black ops.**

**"...Okay, yeah, not Kronos," Annabeth mumbled. "What did it want from them?"**

**"It put a price on my head."**

**"What?" "****_WHAT?_****" Kurama's roar drowned out Annabeth's concern. **

"Wow, he really should've brought that up." Thalia blinked.

"Tell me about it." Piper frowned, wait until her other heard about this.

**There was a snarl before Naruto found himself going on autopilot once again.**

**Naruto stood in the water of his mindscape while Kurama glared down at him, infuriated.**

**"****_And _****when****_ were you going to tell me you got a bounty on your head?_****" The demon fox's breath was exceptionally terrible. Kurama must've been ****_pissed_****.**

**"It's not big deal. I can handle myself easily!" Naruto crossed his arms with a frown. "Besides, since when do you care so much?"**

**"****_NO! No deflecting Naruto! You and I _****know****_ that you can't handle yourself without me. We will be informing the rest of the Biju. That stupid octopus can have his container inform the Kage,_****" Kurama said with finality. "****_We will receive back-up._****"**

"Ninja party!" Apollo crowed.

"Party?! Where?!" Dionysus perked up, since he started falling asleep.

"There is no party." Zeus rumbled.

"Dammit!"

**"I don't need-!"**

**"****_Stop. Arguing._****" Kurama cut Naruto off with a growl. "****_I have failed you once before, I will not risk it a second time while my halves are in recovery. If need be, the rest of the Biju will leave the Nations to help. The consequences of those Immortal beings be damned._****"**

"Oh, Biju better check himself before he wrecks himself." Apollo frowned.

"I wouldn't mind this." Ares grinned.

Hephaestus rolled his eyes. "Yes, because pointless destruction is good."

"Of course it is!"

**Naruto blinked in mild surprise. That was a lot of concern to come from the Nine-Tails. It was certainly the first time Kurama ever got mad at him for that reason. Naruto let a wide grin spread across his face.**

**"I knew you cared."**

**Kurama glared at him. "****_Don't push me. I'm still mad at you._****"**

"Aw, mister grumpy pants needs a hug," Leo said in a baby voice.

"Stop that." Jason told him, it was annoying.

"Fine, fine."

**"I love you too, Kurama."**

**"Uh...Did I interrupt something?" Annabeth asked, an amused smile on her face.**

**Naruto blinked and looked around. "Oh...Dick move, Kurama. Dick move. How'd you even kick me out in the first place?"**

**He didn't get an answer.**

**"Kick you out?" Annabeth asked.**

**"Hm? Oh, no, Kurama and I were talking in my mindscape. How long was I out?" Naruto asked.**

**Annabeth pursed her lips. "A couple of minutes."**

"I'd have drawn on his face." Leo admitted.

"Same." Percy agreed with a nod.

**"Huh...What were we talking about again?" Naruto asked as Miu returned to perch on his shoulder. He tapped her beak lightly and smiled at her soft croon.**

**"You had a bounty put on your head. I want details now." Annabeth crossed her arms and gave Naruto another stern stare. Naruto grimaced and quickly began to retell his dream, but left out details on who spoke when or where. As he came to the end, Kurama growled. The kitsune needed no more details than what Naruto gave Annabeth to discern who the one that kicked Naruto into the Pit was and his dislike of the infamous Uchiha was made clear.**

**When Naruto finished, Annabeth was rubbing her head. "Why didn't you bring this up at breakfast?"**

"A very good question." Athena nodded sternly.

**Naruto groaned. "I can-"**

**"****_Naruto._****" Kurama growled.**

**"...I didn't want you guys to worry. You've got enough on your plates than to deal with my problems," Naruto said. He winced when Miu pecked him on the head and then flew over to land on Annabeth's desk. Naruto rubbed his head and glared lightly at the eagle. "What was that for?"**

**"That was for being stupid. Thank you, Miu," Annabeth said with a nod to the eagle. **

"Wow, even the bird is giving him the third degree." Leo chuckled.

"They are stingy." Poseidon commented with a glibly look to Zeus and Athena.

**Miu chirped back and started to clean her wings, as if to say "just doing my job." Annabeth turned back to her nephew with a frown. "Naruto, this is something we all have to deal with. Not just you."**

**Naruto folded his arms in front of his chest. "Anna-baba, trust me. You know what I did to Percy and Jason. That was ****_me_**** holding back. A ****_lot_****."**

"…So not cool." Percy brooded as Jason frowned.

**"You poked Jason in the butt and kicked Percy between the legs multiple times!" Annabeth retorted. "That's not holding back, that's aiming for weak spots."**

"Yeah!"

**"That's me being non-lethal, or in ****_civilian _****terms holding back." Naruto stepped forward and tapped Annabeth on the head. "Think. I'm a soldier, a ninja, do you really think that we're taught how to disable? We're not taught how to peacefully defeat someone. Every time I get into a fight, I have to take a few hits to determine how much I have to hold back. Percy and Jason ****_are_**** strong, but they're ****_not_**** shinobi. And if they're the best of both camps? ****_I'm_**** the one that has to protect ****_you_****."**

"…Oh snap." Hazel summed up while Percy and Jason scowled or grumbled to themselves.

**Naruto turned and went to the door, where he stopped and looked back. "You saw what I did to Camp Jupiter. You really think there's not other shinobi who can do stuff like that? Who can do ****_worse_****?"**

**Naruto left Annabeth to consider his words.**

"Well, I have nightmares now," Annabeth said dryly. "Thanks Naruto."

"He was just warning you." Piper told her. "We've seen what they can do."

Annabeth still frowned.

**Naruto walked around atop the deck of the Argo II, contemplating the dream he had. Naruto wanted to know who would come first. He glowered at the prospect of facing Madara. That would be like fighting five duplicates of Athena's giant at once.**

"That's…disturbing," Jason said with a furrowed brow.

"Not good at all." Piper frowned. "And don't those Uchiha guy's use fire?"

"Wow, that sucks for him." Leo nodded, it was very sad. "Too bad he isn't immune to fire like this smoking stud muffin."

**"****_At least this way he won't try to bring about the Moon's Eye again,_****" Kurama said, trying to find the bright side.**

**Naruto snorted. ****_No duh. It's probably the challenge. Most Uchiha are cursed with superiority complexes. I'm fairly certain that Itachi was the only one born without it. Sasuke needed to lose his arm to get it pounded out of his head._**

"Dismemberment does bring forth understanding, and death." Ares nodded 'wisely'.

**"****_He deserved more if you asked me. Punk-ass Uchiha brat..._****"**

**Naruto rolled his eyes at Kurama's grumbles and leaned against the railing of the ship. He closed his eyes and let Natural Energy blend with his chakra. The telltale signs of a Toad Sage appeared on his face, his eyes gained orange pigmentation around them. He needed to relax, his aunt answered some questions but their conversation raised more.**

**Who would come after him? Mostly everyone that knew who he was – the title of strongest shinobi is both a boon and a curse. **

Percy frowned, he knew that feeling. Lots of monsters, and even campers, wanted to challenge him all the time since he was so strong. It was tiring for sure.

**Could he handle them? Probably, he was strong enough to face off against the so-called bane of Athena even without Kurama. Could he protect the seven and keep himself alive? That was the real question.**

"Well, statistically speaking-"

"No." Athena glared at Ares. "You never talk about statistics. Never speak of it again."

"I can talk smart!"

"…Please don't." The gods grunted, it would be far too creepy.

**Naruto's eyes snapped open, now golden with toad pupils within them. "That's not good."**

**"****_What? What is – Crap. Naruto-!_****"**

**"I know, Kurama." Naruto pushed away from the railing and tensed. "That's so not good."**

**"****_There're two of them. They're heading this way – fast. Very fast._****" Kurama growled. "****_Those two...Kill them, Naruto! Make them suffer!_****"**

"I sense a grudge match." Hades mused, looking a tad interested.

**"Make who – oh shit!" Naruto jumped over a giant silver sword that sliced into the hull. **

"The dick!" Leo cried foul.

**He fell down towards the earth and dodged a golden chain that had a gold kunai at the end. Naruto pulled out his staff and deflected the chain as it was thrown at him once again.**

Apollo chuckled. "Gold, silver, and bronze. Seems Naruto came in third."

Artemis palmed her face and groaned.

**"Look, brother! He falls with the grace befitting a Biju container!"**

**"Indeed! Perhaps, he'll shatter along the ground like a jar dropped from a shelf!"**

Artemis let out a suffering sigh. It was like something Apollo would say.

**Naruto glared at the speakers, who were a distance above him but gained speed quickly. There were two, like Kurama said, and they were definitely not trying to hide. They both had long hair that fanned out like a headdress that Piper had shown him when she was talking about her heritage, horns that stuck from their head, and attire that labeled them as natives of Kumogakure. They were heavily muscled like Kirabi and Ē, which worried Naruto just slightly. What really put him off were the whisker marks that resembled his own on both of their faces.**

"What? How dare they copy his features!" Aphrodite said, highly appalled at this development.

**The two had differences, though; both had a tattoo on the opposite shoulder of the other, one was the kanji for 'gold' and the other for 'silver'. Their hair and eyes matched the kanji on their shoulders.**

Apollo whistled. "Now that is stylin'~!"

**Kurama roared loudly in Naruto's head and, without permission from the blond, formed a cloak around him. The chakra cloak shot out a dark red claw, which swiped at the two brothers, only to miss by a few centimeters. The silver haired one with the massive sword laughed.**

**"The Kyubi remembers us, Kinkaku!" The silver haired man grinned, his whiskers spread along with his cheeks. Far too much like Naruto's own.**

"That's a real creeper of a smile." Nico pointed out.

"Like evil ninja creepy?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, they'll always be creepy."

**"****_Dead! I want them DEAD!_****" Kurama demanded.**

**_I'm working on it! Back off!_**** Naruto shot back as he willed Kurama's chakra away. Naruto spiraled out of the way of another chain throw from Kinkaku. He flipped back and landed on a blacktop street. He leapt back once again as the golden chain imbedded where he once stood. Naruto glared at the two and parted his staves.**

**"Damn! I missed again! For an Uzumaki, he sure dances lightly in the air, doesn't he, Ginkaku?" **

"He's a real lightweight." Dionysus nodded.

"Oh D, that sucked." Hermes booed.

"Humph! My humor is amazing! Ask all those who go to my parties. Well, used too…"

"That's because they're drunk." Hera sniffed. Her comment earned a frown from the party god.

**Kinkaku asked his brother as he pulled his chain back and it wrapped around his arm.**

**"Yes he does, Kinkaku." Ginkaku smirked and rested his large, silver blade over his shoulder. "Shame we couldn't get a replica of Benihisago or Bahōsen from the employer."**

**"Ah, but we got Kōkinjō and Shichiseiken back," Kinkaku said as he rubbed the chain wrapped around his arm. "In spirit at least. These are nicer."**

"The bling is good," Apollo said. He was suddenly wearing gold bangles, necklaces and sunglasses, and his teeth gleamed.

"Apollo, stop that." Artemis frowned, but she was suddenly wearing silver bling similar to Apollo's.

"No worries lil sis, I got ya covered!"

"Why you!" The huntress snarled as she grabbed his necklaces and started to strangle her twin.

"So! Worth! It!"

"Read, just…read." Zeus told Leo as he rubbed his eyes.

**Naruto frowned at the two. "So, you guys took up the bounty, huh?"**

**Ginkaku grinned. "Of course! To test our might against the Kyubi Jinchuriki? Then get a chance at payback against that traitor that put me inside Benihisago?"**

**"It really was a no brainer," Kinkaku said with a chuckle. He let the chain unwind from his arm and prepared it in his other hand. "I am Kinkaku, and this is my brother Ginkaku. We are the Kingin Kyōdai: the Gold and Silver brothers of Kumo!"**

"Epic-uak!"

"Silence you!"

**"...Okay, that's a pretty cool name..." Naruto mumbled.**

**Kurama snarled. "****_Naruto, stop playing around! Kill them!_****"**

**"Wow, what did you guys do to Ku-The Kyubi?" Naruto asked. "He ****_hates_**** you."**

**"Does it?" Ginkaku perked up and nudged his brother with his arm. "Hear that, Kinkaku? The Kyubi ****_hates_**** us."**

**"Well, I would hope so! He ate us, so we ate him!" Kinkaku bellowed with laughter. **

"Wow, even we cross the line at cannibalism." Hermes frowned.

"Isn't he an animal?" Ares asked.

"Hm, true…"

**They noticed Naruto stared at them in confusion and the brothers shared a grin before Kinkaku spoke again. "I don't think he knows our story, Ginkaku."**

**"A crime, Kinkaku. Especially since we nearly killed the Nidaime Hokage," Ginkaku said with a smirk. **

"Oh, that super smart water guy who was Zeus' legacy that could conjure up the dead, right." Percy nodded, which got the eldest brothers of the Big Three to glare at Zeus for the reminder.

**His grin widened when Naruto's eyes grew in shock. "Yes, Jinchuriki, we fought Tobirama, and nearly emerged victorious. His special squadron and student Hiruzen got in our way."**

**"Stupid monkey boy. We should find him after this," Kinkaku said, and got a nod of agreement from his brother.**

**Naruto grinned at that tidbit of information. "Sarutobi-jiji with the win."**

**"Jiji? So the monkey lived a long life? Damn," Ginkaku said with a growl. He and his brother scowled. "He must be in the afterlife."**

"Sucks to be them." Hades chuckled. Ah, return to life for revenge. It was hilarious.

**"Probably a judge, the do-gooder that he was. Remember that speech he gave us? The 'will of fire' will burn brightly under peace and unity?" Kinkaku snorted. "What a load of trash."**

**Naruto's grin fell into a scowl and his eyes narrowed. "I'm going to start hitting you now. I don't know if I'll stop."**

"Oh! Trigger button!" Ares beamed.

**The Gold and Silver brothers grinned and prepared their weapons. Naruto crouched and built up nature chakra around his body. Time stood still for the three shinobi on the pavement, not even the wind dared to move as they stared off at their respective foe.**

**Finally, Kurama growled. "****_Tear them apart!_****"**

**The three shinobi acted.**

**Naruto ducked under Kinkaku's chain and caught the overhanded swing from Ginkaku with his left stave. Naruto turned the stave in his right hand around and threw it at the incoming Kinkaku. Kinkaku blocked the thrown stave with the chain wrapped around his left arm. With his right hand, he made a ball of lightning build up in his hand which he then crushed in his fist and encased his hand.**

**"Got you now! Raiken (Lightning Fist)!" **

"Hadoukeeen." Apollo croaked out, his necklaces all twisted around his neck as he was covered in silver bling too.

**Kinkaku threw his right hand forward at Naruto's head.**

**Naruto's toad-like eyes glanced towards the blindsided attack and he turned before it could connect. Naruto watched the fist fly an inch over his face and a spark cracked out towards his nose. Naruto built chakra up in his nose before he exhaled sharply, the wind chakra that escaped it cut through the lightning and left a scratch on the side of Kinkaku's hand.**

"…He can sneeze air blades?" Thalia gaped.

"Not to self…" Jason muttered with surprise.

**"A paper cut." Kinkaku scowled at the light sting in his hand and brought his chain covered arm up over his head as his right hand pulled back. He dropped the arm elbow first into Naruto's face. Kinkaku let out a strangled cry and jumped away to hold his arm.**

**Ginkaku, concerned, pulled back and landed beside his brother. "What happened?"**

**"Broken...That container broke my arm!" Kinkaku and his brother glared at Naruto, who tossed his other stave to the side and crossed his arms over his chest.**

**"Sennin Mōdo," Naruto said softly. He grinned at the two Kumo natives. "Hardens the body." Naruto pounded a fist into his chest. "Not even lightning pierces me anymore."**

"Looks like he's…rock hard."

"Painful." Piper told Leo. "That was just painful."

"Bah! Respect the classics."

**Ginkaku glared at him and charged, his sword at his side. "Then maybe this silver will!"**

**The sword was thrust forward at Naruto with a war cry by its wielder. Naruto brought his fist up towards the weapon. The sword's tip met Naruto's flesh and cracked. Ginkaku watched with wide eyes as he drove his refashioned sword to the hilt, the silver blade broken into pieces by Naruto's fist.**

"Bitch get that weak shit outta here!" Ares cackled.

"Ares." Hestia warned.

"Alright, alright…"

**"That's not possible." Ginkaku's silver eyes met Naruto's toad-like ones. He snarled and moved to stand opposite of Kinkaku, behind Naruto. "We need to double team him, brother. Like from before!"**

"That's what she said~!"

"Aphrodite!" Hestia scolded the tittering goddess.

**"Yes." Kinkaku grimaced as he held his arm, now coated in a red cloak of chakra much like Naruto's own first Jinchuriki cloak. The chakra faded and Kinkaku investigated the arm. "It's not done, but it's good enough for now."**

**"I'll go for the silver medal!" Ginkaku declared as he ran forward.**

**"And I'll shoot for the gold!" Kinkaku snarled as he charged at Naruto.**

Apollo pouted at his twin. "Why can't we ever do that?"

"Because shut up."

**Naruto closed his eyes and followed the brothers' chakra. Kinkaku jumped up with his chain-covered arm out, much like Ē and Kirabi's Rariatto, and Ginkaku dove low for the back of Naruto's legs. They moved in perfect sync and had the same chakra output directed in their arms. If the attack struck, Naruto's torso would be torn from his legs.**

**Not that it would.**

**At the last second, Naruto leaned back and jumped, going parallel with the two brothers. **

"…The dude pulled a Matrix!" Leo gasped with fanboy glee.

**He turned and held his hands out like claws as he took a page from his friend Kiba's book.**

**"Senjutsu: Tsūga (Sage Technique: Passing Fang)!" A small, enclosed tunnel of high-speed wind chakra covered Naruto's body. The technique tore up a large portion of the road and the two brothers, who were flung to opposite sides of the road as an outcome to the attack, landed with deep gashes in their skin. **

"That's going to leave some damage. Everywhere." Frank pointed out with a grimace.

**Naruto landed firmly on his feet, a spider web shot out in the dirt at the impact.**

**"Kin...Kaku..." Ginkaku gasped blood out of his mouth and wrapped his arms around the deep wound in his stomach. Red chakra leaked out around both brothers and a cloak covered them.**

**"****_Bastards want to use my chakra!?_****" Kurama snarled. "****_I'll give them some chakra to use! Eating my stomach, I'll show them!_****"**

**Naruto pushed back the chakra Kurama was forcing forward. He was not going to lose, not to these two whiskered clowns. Naruto made some distance between himself and the brothers as they started to become enveloped by version two cloaks.**

**"****_Heh, that's right fools, shorten your lifespan with my chakra!_****" Kurama cackled. "****_Let me play with them, Naruto. They need to be punished for stealing my power!_****"**

"Aw, isn't he adorable being all kill happy?" Ares smiled fondly.

Athena just moved a bit away from him.

**"Playtime is ****_over_****!" Ginkaku – or at least what ****_was_**** Ginkaku – snarled. Five tails of chakra waved behind him as he got to his feet.**

**"We end this now!" Kinkaku agreed, his six chakra tails slammed into the ground and made it shake with the impact.**

"Hey, five, six." Apollo pointed at the screen. "Seven," he said to himself and pointed at his sister. "Eight and nine!" he pointed to Naruto with a smile.

"Amazing, you can count." Artemis dryly told him.

"Not that point I was getting at." The sun god frowned. He thought it was funny.

**Naruto closed his eyes and gathered more natural energy. He took a deep breath and his eyes snapped open, slits bisected the toad-like pupils. Red bled into the golden irises of his eyes.**

"That's still creepy." Aphrodite frowned. She did not like the frog eyes on her babies.

**"This isn't the end," Naruto said. He narrowed his eyes into a glare and held his hands out to his sides. Two large blue chakra orbs started to grow in his palms, and then white lines of wind chakra formed around them. Naruto held his two Futon: Rasengan up. "I'm just getting warmed up."**

"Yes!" Ares cheered, "More fighting-OW! MY ASS!" the war god screamed like a little girl as he had a gold and silver arrow in each cheek.

The twins smirked and high fived each other.

"Well, that was weird." Leo blinked as he closed the book, "Takers people?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**9: Bounties and Bodyguards**

Thalia cracked the novel open to continue the tale.

**The gold and silver brothers, now in what the natives of the Elemental Nations called the Version Two Jinchuriki cloak. Their eyes were now solid white, and blood red chakra cloaks hid the rest of their features from view. Their mouths looked a bit cartoonish, not that they were talking. **

"Aw, they look so cute." Ares grinned at the sight.

Aphrodite looked horrid that her boyfriend thought that. "How are they cute?!"

"They're my favorite color, blood red! Not to mention they look ready to wreck some shit!" Ares cackled. "I want one!"

"No." Zeus frowned. "Stick to your pigs."

"First off, they're boars." Ares corrected with a frown. One does not diss the sacred animal of a god, even if the offender is the King. "Secondly, they're not as common in the States!"

"And these monstrosities are?" Zeus countered.

"They could be!"

"No."

"Aww..."

**Naruto let his guard rise and lifted his two Futon: Rasengan up. The Version Two was where the Biju chakra encases the skin of the Jinchuriki, which puts strain on the life force of the vessel and ultimately shortens their lives, something Naruto and Kirabi were now immune to thanks to the understanding they had with their respective Biju.**

"Now that's what we call teamwork," Leo said with a thumbs up.

"Or mutual benefit." Piper told him.

Leo shrugged. "Semantics."

**Speaking of Naruto's respective Biju, Kurama was not pleased to see the two pseudo-Jinchuriki in the Version Two cloak with ****_his_**** chakra.**

**"****_Eat the inside of _****my****_ stomach will you? Naruto, I want them obliterated! NOW!_****"**

"Yeah, talk dirty to me, Grace."

"Ares!" Zeus warned sternly while Artemis glared at him and Thalia blanched.

"What?" Ares asked.

"How gross can you get?" Percy whispered to Annabeth, who shrugged in response.

**"Yeah, they've been back for too long." Naruto agreed as he shifted his left foot slightly. The toad like eyes narrowed and, with an encouraging roar from Kurama, he ran forward in a blur of speed. The pseudo-Jinchuriki charged at an equally impressive speed, the road beneath their claws torn up as they approached Naruto.**

"They're going Super Sonic-!"

"No." Percy told Apollo sternly. "Don't bring the hedgehog into this."

"No point." Nico snorted. "He's gone downhill since 2006."

Percy glared at his cousin. "Don't. Even. Start." He sighed. "I had such high hopes for that game..."

"We all did." Leo nodded in agreement.

**Naruto brought his attacks back and thrust them at the brothers' chests as Kinkaku and Ginkaku flanked him. "Futon: Rasengan!"**

**The small orbs connected with the Jinchuriki cloaks and a loud squeal filled the air as Naruto's attacks ground against the corrosive chakra that belonged to the Gold and Silver brothers. Kinkaku laughed lowly.**

**"What a puny attack!" Kinkaku grabbed Naruto's wrist, showing no pain or effort as he did. Ginkaku chuckled and did the same with the other. Their chakra cloaks engulfed the Futon: Rasengan and the brothers expanded for a moment before the energy moved to rest in their cheeks.**

**Naruto's eyes widened as he realized what they planned to do.**

Apollo gasped. "Are they going to-?!"

"They must be!" Hermes slammed his palm onto his arm rest. "It's the only logical explanation!"

"What are they going to do?" Athena asked, confused by the two's conversation.

"Wait for it." They returned.

**"Burn in Hell!" Ginkaku exclaimed as a beam of potent chakra escaped his and his brother's mouths simultaneously. **

"They're firin' their lasers!"

"Knock it off, that joke is dead!" Hephaestus snapped. He swore if either asked him to build them a laser – even if they could make their own or had one! – he was going to roast one and shut one in a dark box.

**A small cloud of smoke encased the brothers immediately after the blast connected, quickly whipped away by their chakra tails. Ginkaku snarled at the splinters of wood that rested at their feet. "Substitution!"**

**"Sneaky brat," Kinkaku said with a growl of his own.**

"Fear the wood!" Demeter cheered.

Hades smirked. "My, Demeter, I thought that was Artemis' policy."

Apollo stifled a laugh while his twin and Demeter glared at the Lord of the Underworld with flushed faces.

**"I try."**

**The two brothers looked at their opponent as Naruto stood a good distance from them, his arms crossed over his chest and a glare locked on their form. Naruto's clothes were lightly singed and dirt covered his face. It was a hasty move, but the substitution paid off in the end.**

**Shame about that log though.**

"I wonder what tree it came from?" Demeter asked thoughtfully.

"Olive." "A variant of myrtle, obviously!"

Aphrodite and Athena glared at one another.

"The myrtle is not even remotely a tree, how could he use a log of it?" Athena asked.

"Like an Olive tree log would be used instead?" Aphrodite scoffed.

"Olive trees have many uses!"

"I think it was an oak, actually," Demeter said as the screen focused on the log in question.

Athena and Aphrodite frowned while Zeus let a small smirk cross his face.

Truly, the oak tree was the way to go.

**Before either party could say anything, a giant ballistae missile fired from above and impacted between where the Gold and Silver brothers stood. **

"And that's how it is done son!" Leo crowed with a pump of his arm.

"Nice shot, Leo." Jason praised.

"I don't think it would do much," Annabeth said.

Leo scoffed. "Shush, nonbeliever. My missiles are no joke."

"Phrasing-ow!"

"Quiet Apollo." Artemis scowled at her twin.

**Naruto used an arm to shield his face as dust shot up as it exploded. He lowered his arm and peered through the smoke. He kind of hoped that arrow had some kind of magical explosive in it that could penetrate chakra.**

**No such luck.**

"Bull!" Leo snapped with a frown. "That had to hurt them! It was at least half a ton of bronze!"

"Freaky ninja magic." Percy reminded him.

"Not to mention we've seen Naruto brush off Roman artillery," Annabeth said.

"But those were rocks! No offense, Hazel." Leo added.

Hazel huffed. "Just wait until you're hit with a rock..."

**"Well, that was annoying." Kinkaku grumbled. His white eyes were locked on the ship that hovered above them. "I think it's time to sink that ship, brother."**

"…They best not be thinking of wrecking my ship!" The son of fire snarled, his eyebrows lighting up.

"Naruto won't let them, Leo." Piper assured her friend with a hand on his shoulder. "Just calm down."

"Fine, fine... but he better stop them!"

**"Like the time we sank Mizugakure's fleet!" Ginkaku said with a gleeful chuckle. The brothers crouched down and kept their gaze on the Argo II. Ginkaku looked back at the dumbfounded Naruto. "Excuse us, we'll be right back."**

**The brothers shot up from the ground with a mighty leap that left behind two craters. Naruto stared at them and then grit his teeth.**

**"Oh no you don't!" Naruto crouched down like a toad and shot up after them, **

"He'd be a master at leap frog." Hazel awed.

"Leap frog?" Leo asked her.

She gave him a weird look. "You don't know leap frog?"

"Well–"

"Wow, that's rather ignorant for someone who was born in the twenty first century." Hazel commented. "I thought it was still around."

Leo frowned, he felt insulted that Hazel of all people said that. Gosh darn it!

**his own crater twice the size of the two brothers. He'll leave some clones to clean that up when this was all said and done. Kinkaku and Ginkaku used their chakra tails to deflect or destroy any missile that flew their way. Some explosions were getting far too close to the nearby city for Naruto's liking. Naruto made some clones that used Kurama's chakra to stop the deflected missiles, **

"A bit trigger happy, Leo?" Annabeth asked.

"Big red demon things!" The son of fire countered. "You gotta shoot them in the face! Shoot them in the face!"

Ares cracked a grin to his full blooded brother. "I like him."

The smith sighed. "Of course you do."

**and Naruto himself donned the golden chakra shroud.**

**"****_No, don't leave! We were just starting to have fun!_****" Kurama snarled as multiple chakra arms shot from Naruto's shoulders and grabbed onto the two pseudo-Jinchuriki by their tails. Kurama growled as the chakra arms flung the two brothers back towards the earth.**

**Ginkaku and Kinkaku hit the ground with a loud bang, demolishing whatever once remained of the road they fought on. Another set of chakra arms grabbed the revived siblings around their stomachs when they tried to rise back up. Kurama cackled in the back of Naruto's head as he landed on the ground with ease.**

**"****_Time to face oblivion, gnats! Naruto, give them a death they'll never forget!_****" Kurama snarled as he had the arms pull the brothers back to Naruto. With a silent agreement to his Biju, Naruto made his own chakra claws that sprouted on either side of his wrist. The claws hovered over his palms and two black orbs formed in Naruto's palms. **

"Wait…didn't he destroy a mountain with that?" Jason asked with worry.

"Poor Atlanta." Percy frowned. He thought it was a pretty cool place. Besides being almost turned into a tourist attraction, that is.

**Kurama roared. "****_Face my wrath!_****"**

**"This ends ****_now_****!" Naruto declared firmly as he held his hands out once the orbs finished forming. The brothers struggled against the arms' grips on their stomachs once they saw what they approached. Naruto let out a yell as he slammed the black orbs into Ginkaku and Kinkaku's heads. "Double Cho-Bijudama!"**

**The collision of his attack to the Gold and Silver brothers' skin caused a loud explosion and a shockwave that made the Argo rock violently from where it was parked in the air. **

"No! Not the parking spot! I could get a ticket!"

Jason and Piper palmed their faces at Leo's dramatic cry.

**Dirt and dust shot up around the area, making human visibility absolutely impossible throughout the city. For any onlooker, they'd have to wait for the dust to clear to see what happened.**

**The passengers on the Argo, all on the deck jumped when a loud thud got their attention. Frank, who had been the one directing Leo's shots and who'd flown Hedge and Percy back from their trip to the aquarium, held his repaired bow up with an arrow knocked and ready. He stared at the golden shroud that covered Naruto's form and lowered his bow slowly.**

**"I will never get over how weird that is," Frank said honestly.**

"You can change into probably every animal, yet that is weird to you?" Percy asked.

"He glows and uses ninja stuff!"

"I glow." Apollo sniffed.

"That's not the point," Artemis said dryly.

**Naruto blinked as his sage mode faded and his crossed pupils reverted to slits while his golden cloak flickered with flames. "What's weird?"**

**"Dude..." Leo gaped from where he stood. "You're on fire! That's my shtick!"**

"Shtick stealer." Leo crossed his arms with a pout.

**"Huh?" Naruto blinked again and looked at his hands as golden chakra flames danced off of them. "Oh, right. They're dead Kurama, let's cut the cloak."**

**"****_I would, but there's another problem._****" Kurama grunted.**

**Naruto arched a brow. "And that would be?"**

**"****_The dark intentions heading our way, 'Sennin-san'._****"**

**"What?! Shit." Naruto cursed and quickly reached out with his empathy. The source was still a good distance off, but Naruto could recognize it easily. **

"All of what the light touches, he can see."

"Hey." Apollo glared at Hermes. That was _his _shtick.

**He grimaced and turned to Leo. "Wherever you have to be, start going!"**

**"What?" Leo asked.**

**Naruto groaned as he ran back to the edge of the deck and leapt to the railing. Before he pushed off, he looked over his shoulder at Leo. "Fly, you idiot!"**

**After Naruto leapt from the railing, Leo scowled and crossed his arms. "Who's he calling an idiot?"**

**"UZUMAKI!"**

**A wave of killer intent washed over the ship and the Seven froze. Percy, who was still recovering from his trip to the aquarium, promptly passed out due to the strain it put on his spinning head. **

Ares bellowed a laugh. "Ha! Nice one Prissy, passing out like a pansy!"

Percy gritted his teeth. Much as he didn't like to admit it, Ares was sort of right. Passing out was embarrassing.

**Annabeth and Piper trembled where they stood, both trying to rationalize the feeling of dread that overcame them as they slumped to the ground. **

Both girls grimaced with worried looks on their faces.

**Hazel collapsed to her hands and knees, eyes wide with terror as she relived her first death. **

Hazel frowned, snuggle next to Frank as she didn't want to remember that.

**Frank clung to his bow and the mast as he felt all sorts of animal instincts overcame his Roman training, mostly fight-or-flight instincts that leaned greatly towards the flight.**

Ares gave Frank a disappointed look.

"Hey, when you can shapeshift, there's a cost. Something bigger and badder gets those instincts to go haywire." Frank explained. Ares though still looked displeased.

**Jason grabbed the railing he stood near to steady himself. This was worse than what Naruto used on him, both times. His eyes even tingled as he remembered what it was like to see Hera in her godly form. **

Jason shivered at the very notion that he'd remember that feeling again or even have to compare it to something.

"That killing intent is rather interesting." Hades noted. "It's much like my Helm, but has a more mortal application of activating the flight or fight instincts of their opponent instead of just generating pure fear."

**Jason scrunched his eyes shut and reminded himself that he was alive, that he wasn't going to go down without a fight.**

**And that he still had to learn how to do that!**

Jason had a hopeful look in his eyes.

"No." Piper frowned.

"But Piper, ninja stuff!"

"No ninja stuff for you."

Jason pouted.

Thalia snickered. "Leave the stealth to me, Jason."

"Thalia can stealth?" Nico asked with a bizarre look.

Thalia glared at him for the remark. "Better than you, Death Breath."

"...Shut up."

**"Killing intent..." He managed to gasp out as his breathing returned to normal. Jason turned around and looked at Leo, who was on his hands and knees dry heaving, fire spreading from his back slowly. "Leo! You have to snap out of it!"**

**Jason stumbled to the side of the Argo II's pilot and used a large gust of wind to douse the flames just as they reached the deck. "Leo!"**

**"Who-What? What happened?" Leo asked with a groan. He rubbed his eyes.**

"You were on fire," Jason said. "I took care of it."

"You are just such a bro." Leo smiled at him as they bro-fisted.

"Boys." Piper rolled her eyes with a tiny smile on her face.

**"Killer Intent. Go start the Argo, we need to leave," Jason said with a grimace. There was a loud boom and the Argo II rocked in the air, jarring the remaining Seven (save the unconscious Percy) from their terror.**

**"...Is it me, or is that a giant salamander?" Leo asked as he and Jason looked toward the source of the explosion. Sure enough, there was a giant dark colored salamander with a small speck on its head, opposite of the glowing figure they knew to be Naruto.**

**"...Start the Argo." Jason repeated. Danger warnings were blaring in his head, and Jason didn't want any part of what Naruto had just gotten into. The giant salamander was just more evidence to stay as far away as possible.**

"Oh, come on. How scary can a giant salamander be?" Ares mocked.

**"Jason!" Piper protested. "We can't just leave him."**

**"No, Jason's right," Annabeth said sourly. "We don't have a lot of time, and Naruto can catch up after he defeats...whatever that is."**

**"A giant salamander." Frank mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. "I wanna go home now. This is getting too weird."**

"You live in a world with gods and monsters." Reyna reminded him.

"But that's just weird!" Frank frowned. "Seriously, Canada was never like this."

"...We faced off against cannibal giants." Percy reminded him.

"Giant! Salamander!"

"...Point taken."

**"Salamander? Why does that sound so familiar?" Annabeth muttered to herself, her grey eyes narrowed as she knelt next to Percy.**

**"The title of Strongest Shinobi is ****_mine_**** to dish out, not the world!" declared the man atop the largest salamander Naruto had ever seen. (That thing was slightly larger than Gamabunta!) **

**The speaker had long blond hair and a scar on his right cheek that was hardly visible. Over his mouth and covering his head was a large helmet-like respirator. The shinobi wore a wetsuit underneath a dark flack jacket and armored gauntlets.**

**"Buddy, I don't want the title, I just have it!" Naruto grumbled. **

"And that is all he needs." Athena smiled. "He doesn't fight for it, he just wears it casually."

"Until someone comes along and strips him."

Athena nearly groaned into her hand at Aphrodite's comment. Instead, she settled for glaring at the grinning goddess.

**He made a Rasengan in his right hand and jumped at the salamander. The salamander hissed and a purple gust escaped its mouth. The wind not only sent Naruto back to the ground, but Naruto lost concentration as the poison leaked into his system despite the chakra cloak that covered him.**

"Oh, that sucks." Percy winced. "I hate fighting poisonous enemies."

"You would know." Thalia nodded.

"He has the worst luck with poison." Nico agreed.

Percy glowered at them. "You guys suck."

**"****_Hang on, Naruto. This'll only take a second to clear up,_****" Kurama said with a growl as Naruto landed on the ground, his hand wrapped around his throat. **

"Oh come on!" Apollo complained. "He's got broken healing like Percy, too? I get it when Naruto was my kid, but this is a load!"

"You're just jealous that my son is cooler than yours." Aphrodite giggled while Athena looked haughty.

"He is not!" Apollo pouted.

Percy frowned. "…My healing isn't broken."

"The hell it isn't." Apollo snarked, glaring at his uncle.

Poseidon arched a brow. "Over centuries, alchemists and healers alike have used water in their medicines. It has a natural healing quality to it. My rule over the domain just happens to amplify it."

"Shouldn't my rule over healing do the same!?"

Poseidon shrugged. "Possibly, but it's still water. You use light and fire most of the time, _sun_ god."

"...Touché..."

**The cloak retracted back into Naruto's body so Kurama could focus fully on healing the poison without losing the proper balance of Yin and Yang that allowed Naruto to use the cloak without consequence.**

**"Insolent brat," the shinobi growled. "And Jiraiya spoke so highly of you during our recent battle. I am Hanzō the Salamander, former leader of Amegakure no Sato and the man that created the Sanin!"**

"Wasn't there a real ninja named Hanzo?" Annabeth asked.

Athena hummed. "Yes, he was highly skilled I believe."

"So…does that mean there were two Hanzo's?" Frank asked.

Reyna frowned. "This is peculiar."

Thalia glowered at them. "You know, we could learn more if you'd let me read."

"Yes, continue, Thalia Grace." Athena nodded. She wanted to see what this 'Hanzō' could do.

**"...You're the old guy that Ero-Sennin and Baachan fought with the Hebi-teme?" Naruto asked.**

**Hanzo blinked and looked down at his salamander summon. "****_This_**** is the Savior of the World Jiraiya boasts of?"**

"Percy gets that a lot." The blond child of wisdom sighed.

The son of Poseidon shrugged. "Hey, it lets them underestimate me. Like Ares."

"You weren't the savior then, you fuckin' brat!"

"Ares, watch your mouth!" Hestia chided.

**"Hanzō-sama, perhaps death affected the toad summoner much like it had you," the salamander said.**

**"Possibly," Hanzō agreed as he looked at his older body. The summoning he was victim to in the Fourth War was preferred over this actual reincarnation; at least in that body he was immortal. His eyes narrowed and he pulled out a sickle-like weapon from behind him. It had a long chain that was weighted at one end and had a small sickle with a blade that was easily as long as Naruto's arm on the other. "For now, let us see how holds up against your poison and my kusarigama."**

**"****_Oh crap...I remembered who this meatbag is,"_**** Kurama said with an annoyed growl. "****_You need back-up, Naruto!_****"**

"Man the torpedoes!"

"I shoot missiles of fiery death." Leo grinned at Percy.

Percy shrugged. "Saying torpedoes is easier and cooler."

**Naruto frowned as he took in Natural Energy to go back into Sage Mode. "Why? So his name is like Danzō's, **

"That freaky old dude Apollo Naruto me killed?" the sun god asked.

"...What?" Artemis asked.

"Er, the guy I killed in the story where Naruto was my son?"

"Ah." Artemis nodded. "Yes, I believe that's the one."

Hermes frowned. "We need a way to distinguish between these multiverses. Like, maybe rename Naruto when discussing different stories."

"Such as?" Athena asked.

"This one would be Aphruto." The messenger explained.

Aphrodite beamed. "I love it."

"I don't," Athena said with a frown. "Minato was my son."

"Yeah, but Minato isn't the main character." Hermes returned.

Athena frowned. "True."

**so wha-?"**

**"Danzō!?" Hanzō cut off the internal conversation with a seething snarl. "He betrayed me to Pein, he is the reason I lost that battle and died! Coward...If he had killed that idealistic fool, Sarutobi, like I had suggested, then perhaps his reign as Hokage would've been much longer."**

**"...Okay, yeah, I don't like you." Naruto scowled heavily. No one dissed his Jiji and got away with it. **

"Yeah! We like old people here!" Percy shook his fist. He tossed a thumb over his shoulder at the gods. "Like these guys!"

"We're not _that_ old…" Poseidon brooded while the rest of the gods gave Percy varying looks of dryness or annoyance.

**His eyes narrowed. ****_Pein, so this is the guy that Nagato fought against...And he was the one that fought Ero-Sennin and Baachan to a standstill back in the second war. I need to keep my guard up, I don't know a lot about him._**

**Hanzō scoffed and held his weapon in front of him. "I care not if you like me, boy. We will fight, and I shall determine if you are worthy of my title as the Strongest Shinobi."**

"He reminds me of Zeus a little." Hades rubbed his chin slowly. "Though you'd have to replace the whole 'worth of my title' with 'give me back my title'."

"With some whining?" Poseidon asked.

"Of course."

"A riot routine, the both of you." Zeus glowered at his brothers.

**"****_Naruto, summon a stupid toad! NOW!_****" Kurama barked.**

**_Fine!_**** Naruto jumped back as a purple slash came from Hanzō's weapon. The ground that was cut by the poisonous chakra blow sizzled and died. Naruto ignored this and bit down on his thumb.**

**"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto exclaimed as he slammed his hand onto the earth. A plume of smoke exploded and a familiar small green toad appeared before Naruto along with a familiar purple toad that shared the green one's height. Fukasaku smiled at his student, but turned abruptly and glared at the opponent when his wife let out a surprised croak.**

"Hey, the Odd Couple." Nico pointed out with a small grin.

Frank nodded. "They do argue like them."

"The what?" Percy asked.

"You don't watch old TV shows?" Nico asked.

The son of Poseidon just gave him a blank look.

"I'll take that as a no."

**"Naruto-chan, I'll be givin' ya two seconds to explain to me why Sanshōuo no Hanzō (Hanzō of the Salamander) is fightin' ya." Fukasaku croaked as he leapt back and landed on Naruto's shoulder.**

**"That's a good question, Pa," Shima said with a frown.**

**"Jichan, Baachan, I don't know how exactly, but this guy and two others came back after someone put a bounty on my head." Naruto explained as Hanzo flipped through several more hand seals. Hanzō reared his head back and his chest expanded.**

**"A bounty?" Fukasaku asked, though his question was ignored by his wife's comment.**

**"Oh, no ya don't!" Shima growled as she brought her hands together. Her head reared back as her cheeks expanded.**

**Both threw their heads forward simultaneously.**

"And puke was everywhere!" Leo snickered at his own joke.

"They do like to spit up stuff…" Jason hummed in though.

Hazel blanched. "It's gross."

Leo opened his mouth and exhaled air. He sighed. "Nope, nothin' in the tank."

"Perhaps there's a reason." Annabeth mused. "Maybe the chakra converts into another element in their lungs."

"Wouldn't that kill a human?" Hazel asked.

"These are weird ninja, Hazel." Jason reminded her. "They may as well be aliens."

**"Katon: Endan (Fire Release: Flame Bullet)!"**

**"Suiton: Teppōdama (Water Release: Gunshot)!"**

**A ball of fire about the size of the salamander's head shot from Hanzō's covered mouth, while a ball of water the same size came from Shima's. The two attacks collided and canceled each other out. Hanzō narrowed his eyes.**

**"You certainly are the Gama Sennin's student," he said. "To be able to summon the Two Great Toad Sages while under the effect of my poison...Ibuse, cover them in a cloud!"**

"Not the nacho breath," Piper said while looking green.

Leo snickered. "Nacho breath. Nice one, Beauty Queen."

"I have my moments."

**"Hai." The massive salamander's mouth expanded twice its size and then opened as a large gust of poisonous wind came from it. "Dokugiri (Poison Mist)."**

**"Uh, Jichan, Baachan, ideas?" Naruto asked as he took a deep breath and held it when the mist came over him. He couldn't hold his breath that long, and the toads seemed to be immune from the effect.**

**"Relax, Naruto-chan, we got ya covered. Ma, let's sing for him!" Fukasaku said with a look to his wife.**

Apollo pinched the bridge of his nose. No, singing frogs were not needed, er toads. They already had one singing frog and he was with the WB.

**"You got it, Pa." Shima nodded and the two toads flipped through hand seals. They leapt from Naruto's shoulders and their cheeks swelled as chakra built into their throats. Naruto's hands went to his ears and he braced himself.**

**"Senpō: Kawazu Naki (Sage Art: Frog Song)!"**

Percy stood up, his finger in the air. "Objection! They're toads!"

Annabeth pulled her boyfriend back into his seat. "Knock it off. Go on, Thalia."

"Thank you." Thalia rolled her eyes at Percy being...Percy.

**The massive croak that came from the two toads shattered all the glass in the nearby city, **

"Ow?" Leo asked with worry.

"Medical bills just went up!" Apollo whistled.

Hermes palmed his face. "Now I have to deliver glass panels, don't I?"

"I told you to invest in interns." Athena chided.

"I don't have the time!"

**while the rest of the glass in the state of Georgia suddenly cracked. **

Hermes just made a pained noise. "Someone end my misery..."

"Okay!" Ares grinned and manifested a sword.

"NO!" Zeus snapped at the war god.

Ares slumped in his throne and willed the sword away. "Killjoy..."

**The technique easily dissipated the poison in the immediate area. And, as a bonus, Ibuse and Hanzō were rendered immobile.**

**"Naruto-chan, summon Bunta-chan and the others to deal with Ibuse!" Fukasaku said quickly before he returned to his croak.**

**Naruto nodded and bit down on his freshly healed thumb to draw more blood. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**

**Another cloud of smoke surrounded the area and Naruto found himself atop the red head of one irritated Gamabunta.**

"Oh, good." Aphrodite scrunched up her nose in disgust. "The wart brigade."

Artemis smirked. "Aren't you _fond_ of your son's special powers?"

Aphrodite whined. "I wouldn't mind if they weren't icky, slimy toads!"

"Afraid he'll get warts?" Artemis grinned as she egged on her least favorite goddess.

"First of all, you say that like I would allow any of my babies to grow warts," Aphrodite said with a glare to the Huntress. "And secondly, thankfully, that's just a myth!"

"As are we, are we not?"

Aphrodite seethed at Artemis for the comment while Hermes pulled out a tally notebook.

"That's another for Artemis." Hermes noted to himself. The score was two hundred, thirty-nine thousand, eight hundred seventy to two hundred, thirty-nine thousand, eight hundred ninety-one in Artemis' favor.

**"Gaki!" Bunta growled as he shifted his pipe from one side to the next. "What have I told you about summoning me to these lands?"**

**"Sorry, Boss," Naruto said before he looked at the companions of the toad leader. "Hey Ken, Hiro."**

**"Naruto-sama," the light magenta toad that equaled Gamabunta in size nodded. He adjusted the shield on his left arm and his golden eyes crinkled lightly. "Honored to be summoned, forgive me if I'm clumsy. This air feels off."**

"Zeus farted."

"Who said that?!" the Sky God demanded. His children and siblings look the other way with smiles and snickers.

Thalia decided to continue before her dad started throwing lightning bolts…again.

**"Quit yer bitching, Ken," Bunta said with a grunt as he noticed who his summoner faced and the two Sage Toads that were present. "Hanzō's back, huh? Never wanted to deal with Ibuse again...Hiro! Go pin him down!"**

"Gangster toad for the win," Ares grinned.

Dionysus sighed, "He's the one who keep talking about drinks, right? I wonder how strong toads take sake…"

**The aquamarine toad with two swords strapped to his back nodded and gave a mighty leap. A war croak **

Ares belched, "Nah, not the same." He frowned.

**escaped his lips as he pulled out his two blades and descended on the giant Salamander.**

**"Ibuse, throw me!" Hanzō ordered, and Ibuse complied, nodding his head up despite a loud crack that accompanied it. The Salamander was then stabbed through the lower half, pinned to the earth by Gamahiro's swords.**

"Sacrifice the lizard to the gods!" Apollo shook his fist in cheer.

"I thought you hated snakes?" Reyna asked.

"Oh, I do. But reptiles in general bother me."

**"That's not gonna be good for him," Bunta said under his breath. He turned to the shield baring toad and nodded. "Time to go clean up the trash. Ken, grab the elders and go back to the mountain, they've inhaled some of Ibuse's poison. Gaki, you deal with Hanzō."**

**"Right," Naruto said with a nod. He jumped up off of Bunta's head and reached into his kunai holster as the scythe-like blade of the kusarigama suddenly descended on him. Naruto deflected the blade with his kunai and hissed as something wet brushed his skin. He tossed the kunai away when he noticed it started to melt.**

"Acid? Boo! Fight like a man!" Ares crowed.

"He's a ninja." Athena rolled her eyes, "They don't fight honorably."

"Screw honor! He should just be slicing the jugular with that sickle of his." The war god huffed.

Aphrodite frowned deeply, her eyes dangerous, "And kill my baby boy?"

"…No?"

Aphrodite patted his head, "Good boy." Oh, he was so boned. Best lull him into a false sense of security.

Ares smiled.

**"Acidic poison, a gift from my employer," Hanzō said as he appeared behind Naruto. **

"Well, they got Python venom down there, so…" Annabeth trailed off.

Thalia grimaced, "Thanks for the reminder."

"Sorry."

**Purple mist escaped his breathing mask and Naruto exhaled sharply to clear the air. **

Leo took out a notepad and jotted something down. "Super breath, check."

His "Naruto is Superman" list was going well so far.

All Naruto needed was flight and laser beam eyes, and that would solidify any doubts in Leo's mind.

**Hanzō laughed. "A wind user from the land of fire, and the son of the Last Uzumaki? How did you manage to live with those two shinobi as your deceased parents?"**

**"I trained every day," Naruto said smartly. "Well, that and I pranked a lot of people."**

**"...You're an Uzumaki, all right." Hanzō chuckled and a gleam appeared in his eye. "This will be interesting."**

**Naruto frowned in confusion and ducked suddenly as the kusarigama flew back from behind him. He landed first and jumped away before Hanzō could close the distance between them.**

**"Come, Uzumaki boy, show me why you are called the Savior of this World!" Hanzō spun his kusarigama by the chain at his side as he charged at Naruto. The blade gleamed and purple liquid dripped from it as Hanzō crossed the blade in front of him. "Survive and conquer, that is the shinobi way!"**

"Go Sparta!" Ares pumped his fist.

**"My nindō is a lot easier to live with than that one," Naruto said firmly as he reached behind him and drew two kunai that Shikamaru had given him. Asuma Sarutobi's chakra blade slipped around his right hand's knuckles and Naruto channeled his sage chakra into them, forming invisible and sharper edge on the blade. "I never run away and I never go back on my word! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, future Rokudaime Hokage, dattebayo!"**

Apollo grinned, now that was a saying. He wondered if Apoluto could ever be like that again.

**"You say that like you're going to survive me!" Hanzō exclaimed as he closed the distance between them. He turned to the left and his kusarigama followed by half a turn. "Survive my poison first, Uzumaki boy, and then we'll see if you have what it takes to be Hokage!"**

**"Bring it on, Geezer!" Naruto shouted back as he charged with his right fist brought back, the chakra blade reflecting the sunlight for a brief moment. Hanzō ended his spin and swung his kusarigama at Naruto, who continued to charge and thrust his own blade forward. The chakra blade cut through the blade of the kusarigama with ease and continued to go through Hanzō's left arm, cleaving the appendage off easily.**

"And Dite's kid with the literal disarming, whoo!" Ares cheered. He hoped that appeased his girlfriend. Aphrodite gave him a toothy smile and snapped her fingers. Ares now had a Naruto #1 foam finger on his hand. The war god lazily waved it around with a sour look on his face.

Hephaestus chuckled and took a quick picture of the sight.

**"What déjà vu," said the onetime ruler of the Land of Rain. Hanzō fell to his knees and his remaining hand went to the place where his other arm once rested. He breathed for a moment before he looked up at the sky. "It's always either an Uzumaki or a samurai."**

"Wait, there are ninja samurai?" Jason asked.

Reyna shook her head. "I believe they would just be samurai."

"But they have the ninja stuff."

"Chakra." Piper added.

"Yeah, that!"

"It would seem so." Reyna nodded.

**Hanzō chuckled and got to his feet, ignoring the blood that came from his wound in waves. He turned and faced Naruto, sparing a chance to glance behind the boy at the toads that had forced Ibuse to dispel. He smiled wryly behind his breathing apparatus.**

**"It seems that it is time for me to relinquish my title," Hanzō said with a rasping chuckle. He pointed at Naruto as his body started to dissolve into dark dust. "You, Naruto Uzumaki, are the Strongest Shinobi in the World. I, Sanshōuo no Hanzō recognize you, Uzumaki boy, as the future Hokage. Do not disappoint me."**

"Well, that's nice to say after trying to kill him," Athena said sarcastically. She was still proud of her legacy.

**Naruto watched the body dissolve into black dust, the effect similar to what happened with the Gold and Silver brothers. It was certainly a lot easier than dealing with immortal corpses, he supposed.**

Hades nodded. "Yes, those would be quite the bother."

"I wonder what that was like?" Apollo mused. "Would they keep any damage dealt to them?"

"With the words 'immortal' and 'corpses' being used together, I would guess not." Hades noted.

**"****_You got lucky, Naruto._****" Kurama growled. "****_Hanzō's body was old and out of shape, not immortal like the one in the war. Send the message._****"**

**_Yeah, yeah, fine._**** Naruto thought back as he turned and faced Gamabunta, the only toad that remained now that the salamander was defeated. Naruto nodded at him. "Boss."**

**"Gaki." Gamabunta nodded back. "We took the Elders back to the mountain, and I doubt they'd be able to come back anytime soon. Stubborn old fools took in too much of Ibuse's poison and forced the little natural energy they could gather here to postpone the effects. I mean it this time, Naruto. Do not summon the toads. This land is...unwelcoming."**

Poseidon looked to Zeus. "Honestly brother, be nice to the poor toads."

Zeus grunted. "It isn't my fault that 'nature' is out of touch in the modern world."

"Oh sure, not your or our fault." Hermes said scathingly.

"And here we go again." Hephaestus groaned. Hermes just loved to go on a tangent about Pan. They all missed him, even if they didn't want to admit it.

**"Yes, Boss. I understand," Naruto said with a frown. ****_Damn, now I really do have to send a message._**

**"****_Told you._****"**

**_Shut up, Kurama._**** Naruto mental retorted, to which he received a growl. Naruto looked up at the leader of the Toad Clan Contract. "Boss Toad, I need a favor."**

**"I suppose I can grant it," Bunta said with a displeased croak. "Make it quick, Naruto. The more time I spend here, the less I like it."**

**Naruto grimaced. "Sorry, Boss. Can you send Baachan a message?"**

**"Eh? Anything wrong?" Bunta asked.**

**"I need some back up," Naruto said bluntly. "A small team, anyone is welcome. ...And I need her to call the Kage together. To ask about granting me permission to use the Rikudo mode."**

"His GameShark Mode?" Leo asked.

"I think it was his god mode." Nico said.

"Bullshit," The Olympians (minus Hestia) said. They didn't care about how powerful Naruto was. He didn't have a 'god' mode. Such a thing was impossible.

"It's the same thing." Leo returned, ignoring the gods' input.

**"What exactly would require that?" Gamabunta asked with narrowed eyes.**

**_Oh, you know, just the primordial of the PLANET that wants to end all life and start anew..._**** Naruto figured that wouldn't be the best thing to say (yet). **

"That's a real kick in the pants to morale." Leo nodded.

"Didn't deter us." Frank pointed out.

"Dude, _we're_ crazy. Of course it didn't."

**"Just tell them to contact me when they decide to convene."**

**"When?"**

**"Hey, I'm the Savior of the World, right? If ****_I'm_**** tellin' them to get together to give me permission, they're gonna want to know why," Naruto said with a nonchalant shrug. Not to mention that Tsunade and Gaara would probably threaten with withdrawals or something from some bureaucratic crap. It was nice to have political pull with the entire world. **

"Just one continent." Zeus corrected sternly.

"It's the world to him." Athena reminded him. "That and Camp...Either way, he is right from his point of view."

Zeus huffed.

**It was not nice to receive marriage requests from the daimyo's court member's daughters that were twice your age, though. Naruto shivered at the thought.**

**Some of those "noble princesses" were...wrinkly.**

"But of course!" Aphrodite giggled. "Who wouldn't want to have some of that?"

"Me." The girls currently in a relationship retorted swiftly.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't."

Reyna was quiet and had a contemplative hum come from her mouth.

"At least one of you is honest." Aphrodite smirked. "The rest of you would still look."

The girls couldn't exactly refute this point. And, as Apoluto was not related directly to any of them, Annabeth and Piper came to realize there could be a case where they would look.

"Not to mention Piper has checked Naruto out before in the last book."

"MOM!" Piper flushed bright red. She was hoping no one remembered that.

**"Yeah, yeah...I'll pass your message along, Naruto. Try to stay alive, will ya? We still need to share some sake," Bunta said before he released the summon and transported himself back to Mt. Myōboku.**

**Kurama huffed. "****_Damn right you run, stupid toad._****"**

**Naruto rolled his eyes. "Don't start, Kurama. Seriously, I already have to chase the Argo II down."**

**"****_Northeast._****"**

**"Thanks. Can we go into the cloak or...?"**

**"****_You should be fine._****"**

**Naruto grinned and erupted into golden flames. "Good, this shouldn't take more than two minutes, then."**

**"We got incoming!" Hedge yelled as he peered over the starboard railing. "Glowing ground-to-air missile at three o'clock!"**

"Return fire!"

Piper scowled at her friend. "Leo, that's Naruto!"

"Oops," Leo said abashed. He quickly spoke to save his handsome hide. "Coach got me caught up in the moment!"

**"That's not a missile, Coach," Piper said with a small smirk on her face. The "missile" missed the railing by a few feet and landed on the deck, cracking the wood as his feet connected. Naruto righted himself and grinned at her.**

**"Hey Imouto!" He said with a lighthearted wave. "What'd I miss?"**

**"Uh, the landing pad?" Leo said sourly. He glared at the cracked deck. "Look at what you did!"**

"The fiend!" Leo declared heatedly while he shook his fist in the air.

**Naruto looked at his feet and laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Er, sorry."**

**"Please tell me that isn't going to set the ship on fire," Percy said, concerned about the golden flames that danced off of Naruto's form.**

**"What?" Naruto blinked and then pointed at himself with a grin. "Oh, this isn't real fire, this is just a chakra cloak that shields me from harm. It's powered by my life force, so it's constantly moving."**

**"...Like Dragon Ball Z auras," Annabeth said after a moment where Percy didn't seem to get it.**

**"Ohh...Awesome!" Percy grinned.**

"Just explain everything in DBZ terms. It's so much easier." Percy nodded sagely.

Annabeth palmed her face.

**"****_I am not a stupid monkey! If they want a monkey, you should summon Son!_****" Kurama snarled.**

**_That'll crush the ship._**** Naruto retorted.**

**"****_And your point is?_****" Kurama asked with a snort. "****_Remove that seal and the laws of physics do not apply to you any longer._****"**

"What?" Athena asked as her mouth turned into a frown. She really wanted to learn more about these 'seals' and the limits that this Naruto had.

"Oh that's not fair!" Apollo pouted. "Dad never lets us bend reality to our whim anymore."

"For good reason. You _all_ misused it whenever you had the chance," Zeus said firmly. To those that knew the god well, he looked uneasy that Naruto could twist physics to his will.

**_Yeah, but I can't remove the seal without the approval of all five Kage. _****Naruto shook his head and let his cloak dissipate. ****_We could fall into another war, and I don't want that to happen._**

Ares went to open his mouth but Aphrodite coughed into her palm. Ares kept his tongue and grumbled in dismay.

"He's trained so well." Athena grinned to the love goddess.

"It's like taking care of a puppy." Aphrodite shrugged.

"A dumb one." Hephaestus grunted.

Ares' sunglasses started to melt as he glared at his brother.

**"****_Right, like they'd risk going to war with you at full power again._****"**

**_We'll continue this later, Kurama_****. Naruto turned to his aunt with a grin still on his face. "So, where are we going?"**

**"That can come later." Annabeth frowned at him and punched him in the arm. Impressively hard...for a civilian. **

"I am not a civilian!" Annabeth said with some bite.

"Not in the traditional sense since the Camps are the forces of Olympus, but, you're not a ninja either," Athena said to her daughter. "To Naruto, that may be all that separates the two."

Annabeth frowned and crossed her arms in distaste.

**Naruto got the message, even if he didn't feel her displeasure. She winced and rubbed her hand. "Ow. That backfired..."**

"Didn't think that one through, huh, Annie?" Thalia grinned.

The blonde scowled at her. "Like you could hit him harder."

Thalia frowned. "I could...I just haven't had the chance yet."

**"Yeah, hitting him is like punching a rock," Jason said with a knowing nod. He'd made many trips to the infirmary to check at possibly dislocated knuckles after the first few spars they had. After that, Naruto suggested they stick with weapons or touch spars to make it a bit safer.**

**"Chiseled from marble takes on a whole new meaning with Blondie," Leo said with a chuckle. **

"Well he did pose as a statue." Nico remembered well.

Aphrodite sighed happily. "Such a good smexy boy."

"Mom!" Piper groaned in embarrassment while the other demigoddesses flushed and the demigods frowned.

Leo crossed his arms. "Stupid pretty boys."

**He ignored the mild glare Annabeth gave him and waved his hand over his shoulder. "If that's all, I gotta go get some grub before I fix that crack the genius ninja made."**

**"Wait up," Frank said as he and Hazel followed him. Food sounded like a good plan to them.**

**"I said I was sorry!" Naruto pouted. He turned back to Annabeth and scratched his cheek. "And, uh, sorry about your hand, Anna-Oba."**

**"Oboe?" Percy asked, a dark brow arched. "Isn't that an instrument?"**

"It is, but not the point." Apollo snickered.

"Our secondary protagonist ladies and gentleman," Nico said dryly.

"Secondary?" Percy asked with a befuddled look.

"Naruto's the protagonist, Percy. Deal with it."

The son of Poseidon pouted. He liked being the protagonist.

**"Oba. It's a familiar term that means 'aunt'," Annabeth said quickly. She returned her annoyed greys to her nephew and frowned. "Bruised hand aside, really?! Fighting Hanzō of the Salamander!?"**

**"He wasn't so bad..." Naruto said indifferently.**

**Annabeth arched a brow. "After fighting the Gold and Silver brothers? Who were eaten by the Kyubi and survived?"**

"How do you know all of this exposition?" Piper asked.

Annabeth flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Duh, Minato's book."

"...How did _he_ know all of this?"

"He's a son of Athena, Piper." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "We live for this kind of thing."

Percy nodded. "A cabin full of nerds...mine's the prettiest, though."

"Nice save, Percy." Jason chuckled.

"Shut up, Grace."

**"****_Only because they started to eat my stomach! Stupid gnats...taking my power...should've just ripped them apart instead of eaten them..._****" Kurama grumbled.**

**"The what?" Percy asked.**

**"The demon –"**

**"Biju," Naruto corrected.**

**Annabeth frowned at him. "The thing in Naruto's seal. According to Minato's notes on the Elemental Nations, he had to write a report on how it was theoretically improbable to survive within the Kyubi's stomach and potentially how they survived."**

**"****_They started to _****eat****_ me!_****" Kurama reiterated.**

"We never did that to father." Poseidon hummed in thought.

"Probably because we'd be no better than him." Demeter huffed.

Poseidon nodded. "Ah, but think of the irony of it all!"

"And the calories." Hera frowned.

**"They started to eat his stomach from the inside out," Naruto said. He shrugged at the eyes that landed on him. "That's what they said when we started to fight. And they almost killed the Nidaime Hokage, I think. Not sure about that."**

**"****_Anyway_****," Annabeth said with a frown, a bit upset that the subject was shifting before she finished addressing it. **

Hazel looked at Annabeth, "You don't like sharing the exposition spotlight, do you?"

Annabeth flushed. "It's my thing."

"Like I said, prettiest nerd of them all-oof!" Percy rubbed his side where Annabeth elbowed him.

"Shush, Seaweed Brain."

**"Hanzō was noted as an S-Rank shinobi with strict instructions from the Third Hokage for all Konoha shinobi to 'Flee-On-Sight' after he eradicated a whole unit in a single battle, at least forty to fifty chunin and ten jonin. The only ones to survive were students of the Third, who became known as the-"**

**"Sannin, yeah, I know." Naruto cut in with a shrug. He scratched the side of his nose disinterestedly. "Who then grew older and used the title to become renown shinobi. Hebi-teme became a psychopathic mad scientist that kidnapped kids and ran experiments on them, eventually trying to find a way to become immortal and nearly succeeding if Sasuke didn't kill him. Tsunade-Baachan became a travelling drunk and gambler that only came back to Konoha after I won a bet against her and won this." Naruto flicked his necklace lightly with a grin at the memory. "And Ero-Sennin...well, actually, he didn't change much. He just peeped on women in the bath houses and wrote dirty books."**

Apollo wiped away a tear from his eye. "He's my hero."

"Don't even joke like that." Artemis frowned deeply.

"Who's joking?"

"Didn't this guy also teach Minato, Athena?" Hermes asked. He regretted asking the question as Athena glared at him in response.

**"...And he taught you?" Piper asked as she crossed her arms and glowered.**

**Naruto gained a fond smile. "Yeah...Ero-Sennin was a self-proclaimed 'Super Pervert' and proud of it. Even tried to get me to stay in my Oiroke no Jutsu form when he started to train me."**

**"...Wait a minute, weren't you left alone with your sensei for three years?" Piper asked as a look of horror overcame her features.**

"The corruption has already begun," Aphrodite said with a giggle.

"I think that train left the station already, Dite," Apollo said.

The love goddess merely let out another, more disturbing giggle.

"Mom, never do that again. Please?" Piper asked.

"I make no promises, dear."

Piper hung her head.

**"Yeah, so?" Naruto arched a brow. He didn't see what the big deal was.**

**Annabeth gave him a look. "Naruto...What exactly did Jiraiya teach you while you two were on the road?"**

**Naruto scratched the side of his head. "Well, he helped me clean up my taijutsu a bit...and we worked on the Rasengan some more...and with the Biju cloak, stage one...strategy...Um...Oh! And calligraphy!" Naruto nodded proudly.**

"And porn, can't forget the porn." Leo pointed out. He clutched his head after Piper smacked it. "Ow!"

"Don't remind us." Piper and Annabeth grumbled as they frowned.

Athena also had a frown on her face.

**"Calligraphy?" Jason asked.**

**"Yep!" Naruto beamed. "Helped with seals and my writing for reports. And to stay in contact with my... 'pen pals'."**

**Percy chuckled. "Pen pals?"**

**"Yeah...Pen pals," Naruto said with a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck. He should ****_really_**** get back in contact with Jiraiya's network...All of Konoha's major intel was in the toilet if it was left alone for too long. **

"…He has his own spy network?" Nico asked. He shook his head. "Seriously, he could conquer the world."

"Let's not think on that." Hazel paled. That was a scary though. Dictator Naruto! Yeah, not much of a good ring to it.

**"But yeah, helped with my writing mostly. So...anything else? Because I'm hungry. I need some Ramen."**

**Annabeth shook her head. "Wait a bit longer, Naruto, we've gotten off track. The point is you went up against the Strongest Shinobi without any back up. That was ****_dumb_****."**

"Yeah, a real Percy moment there." Thalia chuckled.

"Hey!" the son of Poseidon frowned.

**Percy frowned. For some reason, he felt like someone, somewhere had just made fun of him. **

Thalia whistled after she read that sentence. "Wow, that's some Sixth Sense."

"He had to get something." Athena commented idly while Poseidon glared at her.

**Oh, well, he'll ignore it for now and watch Annabeth chew someone other than himself out for once.**

Percy gave Annabeth a hopeful look.

She reached over and pinched his cheek. "Not a chance. You're the only one for me…to scold."

"Oh, isn't it sweet?" Aphrodite smiled at the scene.

"Very." The couple's parents said dryly.

**Naruto frowned. "I wasn't without backup! I summoned Jichan-sensei, Baachan-sennin, Boss Toad, Ken and Hiro to help me!"**

**"...More giant toads?" Piper asked with a grimace. "How do you not have warts?"**

**"I mastered Senjutsu. I don't get warts anymore," Naruto said with a shrug.**

**"Guys, focus?" Annabeth asked. "Point being, you can't run off and face these shinobi by yourself."**

**"You're right."**

**"Yes I am...wait, what?" Annabeth blinked.**

"Wow." Percy grinned. "Gotta remember that one."

"Isn't that Boyfriend 101? Girlfriends are always right?" Leo asked.

Aphrodite giggled. "Mostly, but you can't be a suck up otherwise it's no fun!"

"Is that true?" Jason asked as he, and the other boyfriends present, looked at their girlfriends.

All they received in return were secretive little smiles.

**Naruto gave her a small smile. "I've sent a message to Tsunade-Baachan to call for a Kage meeting. The toads will reverse summon me back to Konoha when it's time for the meeting. Shouldn't take more than a day or so."**

**"Reverse summon?" Percy asked. He felt a bit left out when Piper and Jason didn't look as curious.**

**"I'll explain everything later, Percy," Annabeth said to him. She turned back to Naruto. "What makes you think they'll just jump when you ask them?"**

**"Annabeth, read my lips." Naruto pointed at himself. "I. Saved. The. World."**

"Those people owe him a lot." Leo reasoned. He hummed thoughtfully. "You know, I never got something for saving the world."

"You used a forbidden method to stay alive." Hades glared at him.

Leo chuckled sheepishly. "Right, right..."

**"I beat Kronos," Percy said challengingly.**

**"I toppled Kronos' throne and beat Koios." Jason added.**

"Aw, look at 'em trying to wave their dicks like their big shits." Ares chuckled.

"Kicked _your_ ass."

"You got one cut, Jackson!" Ares hissed dangerously. "I can still own your ass if I wanted to. Even today!"

"Yeah, uh-huh."

"Percy, stop egging on the god of war." Poseidon sighed. His son was going to get himself killed with that kind of mouth one day.

The King of the Sea could only wonder where he'd gotten his mouth from.

**"But did you have to fight a stupidly overpowered guy with an army of undead warriors and ****_then_**** fight a goddess that could create her own dimensions?" Naruto asked. He pointed at his bandaged hand. "Oh, ****_and_**** lose your arm when you had to stop your best friend from trying to destroy your home after you ended a war?"**

**Percy and Jason's lips clamped shut and Naruto crossed his arms.**

**"Yeah, didn't think so."**

"And Naruto is best demigod. Period." Thalia said as she closed the book.

"Doesn't that take you out of the running?" Percy asked as he and Jason frowned.

Thalia smirked. "I said best _demigod_, not best _demigoddess_."

The two heroes pouted while the other girls smirked.

Reyna looked over at the Hunter with a hand out. "I'll go next."

"Here you go." Thalia offered it over to the Roman.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**, **_**Percy Jackson and the Olympians**_**, or **_**Heroes of Olympus**_**.**

**Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**10: Seals, Kage and Romans**

Reyna turned to the page and continued where Thalia left off, "Well, it seems we appear in this chapter." She said.

Piper rubbed her face, "And this was when we met mom."

"Oh! I cannot wait for my cameo." Aphrodite beamed and clapped her hands.

**Naruto frowned as he stood beside the masthead, his arms crossed over his chest while the Argo II flew towards South Carolina. Apparently, there was some map left by the Romans that led to the Athena Parthenos, the statue that the Romans had stolen from Athens.**

**When Naruto learned of this, he asked Annabeth why Athena hadn't mentioned the map. Annabeth suggested that perhaps Athena didn't know of it, which made some sense. The goddess of wisdom wasn't about to chat it up with a Roman on the whereabouts of her statue. That would be far too big a blow to her pride.**

"Yes, asking nicely for something can be a true endeavor for Athena," Poseidon nodded with false sympathy.

Athena's only response to this was low growl that was muffled by her sealed lips.

**No, instead the plan was to reunite the camps by ending the feud with a Roman returning the statue to Camp Half-Blood. Of course, this would be flawless if the Romans weren't currently so bloodthirsty for the Argo II's passenger's blood. Oh, and let's not forget the bounty Naruto just got on his head, that'll make things difficult.**

Leo grumbled irritably, "Okay, I get our job was nearly impossible, but damn! Re-thinking our odds and they were crummy!"

Jason smiled at him, "We still did it though."

"Dude, I died! Only with my quick wit did my magnificence live to see another sunrise."

"And we love you for it," Piper told him.

"Damn right you all do." Leo nodded sternly.

**"I can't believe I say this, but I miss Akatsuki." Naruto groaned rubbed his face. Things were **_**way**_** more simpler when there was an evil terrorist group that just wanted to conquer the world. **

"The simpler things," Percy said with a touch of melancholy. He remembered those days, where he only really had to worry about zits and getting a D in math.

Now it's just save the world this, and stop that madman that!

Where did his teenage years go?

**If Naruto could go back to just fight Pein and be done with it, life would be swell.**

**Of course, life wasn't easy and Naruto wasn't one to complain, but the Olympians seemed to have all these problems that, when traced back, were their own faults either directly or indirectly.**

"He's not wrong." Percy voiced, getting some nods from his fellow demigods.

"But guys!" Apollo smiled at them, "If we didn't make some, er, boo-boos in the past, what would you be doing now?"

"Living a regular life." Percy bluntly said.

"Not fearing spiders?" Annabeth suggested.

"Not turning into a tree." Thalia noted and looked at Jason.

"Bianca would be around." Nico brooded.

"I'm pretty okay where I am." Jason said, smiling at Piper, who smiled back.

"I'm good." The daughter of love said, kissing her boyfriend's cheek.

"Meh, I'm cool with it." Leo said, going with the flow.

Hazel frowned, "Not dying."

Frank rubbed the back of his neck, "That's a loaded question."

"I'm thankful for it," Reyna stated, "If not, I'd still be with Circe."

"…Well that's grand." Apollo forced a smile.

**"**_**I don't**_**." Kurama snorted. "**_**That exploding bastard was a pain in the ass, and we never even got to kill him.**_**"**

**"We got the Geezer String guy, though," Naruto said with a shrug.**

**Kurama gave a huff. "**_**You got that 'immortal'. Nearly lost your arm though. Funny how that came full circle.**_**"**

**"Funny, yeah." Naruto looked at his bandaged false hand and sighed again. "Remember when it was just go to the camp, find Anna-baba's missing boyfriend and save the world from Tsuchi?"**

**"**_**Everything is simple in hindsight. Speaking of complications, how are you going to get from the ship, get to wherever the Kage gathered, and back?**_**" Kurama asked.**

"I like the chummy thing they got going on," Piper smiled, "It's like two friends chatting…but your friend's inside you."

"That's what she said!" Ares cackled.

"Why would she say that?" Hazel asked with confusion.

Frank grimaced, he did _not _want to explain that one.

**Naruto chuckled and scratched his whiskered cheek. "Uh, I was going to leave a clone and have a toad reverse summon me? But how would my clone know to summon me back?"**

**"**_**Make a clone once whatever meeting is over?**_**" Kurama suggested.**

**"Yeah, but that'd still require a toad to be summoned here, and you heard Bunta."**

**"**_**Screw the warty bastard, what's he going to do, end the contract?**_**"**

"Yeah, Naruto's the toad poster boy now, right?" Nico asked.

Hermes agreed readily, "Yep! And you don't toss your best investment, that's just bad business."

**"He might," Naruto said. It was rare, but possible. And Gamabunta was the chief overseer the Toad Contract, even if he didn't rule the mountain. He decided who did and didn't get to summon toads. Considering Naruto **_**still**_** hadn't shared a drink with him – he should really get around to doing that sooner or later – the fact that he still had access to summoning toads was most likely due to his Sennin status.**

**Kurama growled. "**_**Then what do you propose? Learning your dick of a father's flashing thing?**_**"**

Ares whistled, "Now that is just incent. And for one of Owlhead's kids to do that? Shame on your name!"

Athena glowered, "He meant the teleporting technique you simpleton."

"I know what I said."

**"Nah, that'd take too long, even with clones." Naruto rubbed his chin in thought. He snapped his fingers and his eyes twinkled. "I've got it! I'll use the summoning scroll!"**

**Naruto turned and jumped down, but not before turning back and grinning at the masthead. "Thanks for the company, Festus!"**

**The dragonhead let out a light click in return.**

Leo smiled, "He's such a good conversationalist."

"I just never got how you could talk to him all this time." Piper frowned.

"For someone awesome like me, it was easy!" Leo waved off, grinning like a fool.

Annabeth smirked at him, "Or just crazy."

"Hey! Easy with the C-word. I prefer the word mad, thank you very much."

Annabeth mentally questioned why that sounded better.

**Naruto dashed through the Argo to his room and grabbed one of the few scrolls he had set on his desk. Miu squawked when Naruto's flicked his wrist and unrolled the scroll to the length that would allow him to find the properly labeled seal. The eagle watched as Naruto ran his finger across the written ink. The blond Jinchuriki grinned once he found the line he was looking for and with a pulse of chakra unsealed a **_**massive**_** scroll that was easily as wide as his head and as long as his leg.**

"You could club a baby seal with that thing!" Ares whistled and then hummed, "I wonder…"

"Don't even think about it," Not only Poseidon, but Artemis warned.

"What? Dite loves the fur!"

Aphrodite looked away nervously, "I have no idea what he's talking about."

**"Bingo." Naruto grinned as he rolled the smaller scroll up and tossed it back to his desk. He set the large scroll on the ground and unrolled it to reveal a complex seal. Naruto hummed as he looked it over and pointed at a few of the characters written on the paper. "This could be...and this should change to accept any weight."**

**"**_**If you get the team during this trip, you'll have to include their chakra cores as well.**_**" Kurama added as he studied the seal through his container's eyes. "**_**Not to mention you'll have to consider how you'll activate the seal.**_**"**

"Such an obscure art," Athena sighed, "I would love to learn the workings of it."

"Why not runes?" Hermes asked.

Athena frowned, "I suppose that will suffice." She said, sounding disappointed.

**"Well, I could make a two-way summoning link so I don't have to actively try to hone in on separate chakra signatures," Naruto said aloud as he pondered over his new project. "So, two of the same seals, able to summon from either side..."**

**"**_**One side, one summoning seal, the other a focus seal for yourself and any potential back up.**_**" Kurama corrected. "**_**If the Kage think you're in too much danger, they might try to recover you. You **_**are**_** more valuable to them than the rest of these kids, Naruto**_**."**

"Ouch?" Piper frowned.

"Actually, it is from a tactically basis." Reyna said, "Naruto is both their savior and a powerful asset. His value would naturally far surpass ours in the ninja's eyes."

Annabeth knitted her brow, "I agree with that. Though I don't like it."

The Praetor said, "It's the thinking of leaders sadly."

**Naruto frowned. He wanted to say that Tsunade and Gaara wouldn't do that, but he knew they had to make the hard choices. "Yeah, you're right."**

**The blond scratched his head and unrolled the massive scroll further to a large blank portion. "Well, I guess I should get started then, huh?"**

**"**_**Seems that way. I'll try to help where I can.**_**" Kurama offered.**

**"I know." Naruto grabbed a bottle of ink and a brush from his desk and settled in for a **_**long**_** night.**

**"**_**Naruto, you should summon a clone.**_**" Kurama suggested. "**_**In case you're reverse summoned in the midst of your project.**_**"**

**"Good point." Naruto crossed his fingers and created a Kage Bunshin. He pointed at the bed. "You rest and I'll dispel you if nothing happens."**

**"Gotcha boss!" The clone grinned and promptly settled into bed with a grin on his face. With a twitchy eye because of the cheek he received, Naruto went to work while his clone slowly fell asleep. He took solace in the fact that it would die for him to have some energy after he was done.**

**"Finally." Naruto stretched his arms above his head and flopped back to partially lay on his futon. He sighed happily and let his eyes shut as the early morning light started to peek through his window. "Ugh, that took for**_**ever**_**."**

"Long projects can get like that. You just ogtta have fun while doing them," Leo suggested.

"I know, right?" Annabeth agreed instantly, "Like this one time, I was working on a building design-"

"Annie, shush." Thalia told her, "No one cares right now."

"I care." Percy said.

"Suck up." His friends told him.

The savior of Olympus shrugged, he wasn't going to lie on that one.

**Naruto grunted as his clone shifted and kneed him in the head. He sat up and glared at the happily dozing clone. "I'm going to enjoy dispelling you far more than I should."**

"But we like Bob!" Apollo complained.

"Bob?" Percy asked.

"Well we can't just call him Naruto clone number 236199! He needs a name."

Percy rubbed his chin in interest, "I like it. Short and sweet."

Annabeth, Thalia, and Nico palmed their faces.

**Naruto looked back at the two large scrolls – as Kurama had pointed out that having the anchor and the summoning seal in one place was pointless – and rubbed his chin. He picked the anchor scroll up and slung the strap over his shoulder. He should probably keep it on his person if he was reversed summoned. The other he rolled up and placed in the corner.**

**A loud snore nearly made Naruto spill his inkwell as he set it back on his desk. With bags under his eyes, Naruto glared at the clone while it happily snored away. He raised a shuriken in his hand and prepared to dispel the clone as violently as he could – memories of its death be damned! **

"That's just gotta suck," Thalia blanched.

"Tell me about it." Hazel deadpanned.

"Oh, right…Sorry?"

"Forgiven."

**However, before he could do just that, Naruto felt a familiar tug on his chakra before he vanished in a plume of smoke.**

**The clone rolled over peacefully, none the wiser of the original's vacancy or of the completed scroll tucked away in the corner.**

**"Welcome back, Naruto," Tsunade said with a wry smile as the baffled blond reappeared in the center of the Kage Summit chambers beside a slightly tired Fukasaku. The sage toad gave Naruto a nod before he returned to the mountain that he called home. Naruto, bleary though he were, correctly assumed that it was due to Shima still being affected by the salamander's poison that Fukasaku came and left without a word.**

**Naruto blinked and rubbed his face. "Ugh...Baachan, seriously, I was up **_**all**_** night working on a seal...can I get five minutes to sleep?"**

"No rest for the wicked kiddo, I should know!" Hermes complained, gaining extra baggage under his eyes.

Apollo grinned, "Reap what you sow little man."

**"As someone who has gone **_**years**_** without sleep, I can understand why you would want to take five minutes." Naruto turned and grinned at the one who spoke. Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage, hadn't changed much after the war; the massive gourd was set beside him, the Kage uniform with Sunagakure colors of white and green, and the Kage hat seated before him. What had changed were the rings around Gaara's eyes being smaller, possibly due to him freely being able to sleep without Shukaku going crazy, and his hair.**

**"You look ridiculous, Gaara," Naruto said with a tired smirk as he pointed at the combed hair that sported one of the youngest Kage to date.**

"Boo!" Aphrodite jeered, "You looked better with the spiky hair!" Ugh, talk about a hair travesty!

**Gaara's smile fell slightly as he turned and glared at his bodyguard, who huffed at Naruto's words. "I told you it looked bad, Temari."**

**"Naruto isn't one I would turn to for fashion advice, Kazekage-sama," Temari said blandly. She threw a thumb at the other bodyguard, who was darkly dressed and had bright purple face paint styled in a different design than what had been used in the war. "Between him and Kankuro, you needed the makeover."**

**"If it's any consolation, Kazekage-kun, I think you look lovely," the Mizukage said with a smile. Her white and blue robes accented her voluptuous form, and her hairstyle looked radiant as usual. For a second, Naruto wondered if Mei Terumi was a daughter of Aphrodite. He blanched slightly when her flirty smile turned his way. "You look rather charming, too, Naruto-san."**

"I am not opposed to this one." Aphrodite smiled widely.

"Mom, she's like, twice his age!" Piper complained.

"Women are like fine wine dear, we become better with age. Why, just look at me!" the love goddess smiled brightly.

"Yes, you could ram a telephone pole down there," Artemis whispered mockingly.

**Naruto smiled back weakly, that last thought really made her flirt uncomfortable for him. "Thanks, Mei-sama."**

**"Mizukage-sama should be addressed as Mizukage-sama, Naruto-sama," the short blue-haired bodyguard with modified glasses said softly. **

"Is that natural?" Percy wondered aloud.

"Maybe. If not, you are _not_ dying your hair." Annabeth warned, making Percy pout.

**Chōjurō gasped when Naruto turned his eyes to him and bowed slightly. "Apologies, Naruto-sama. I didn't mean to offend you!"**

**"Uh, don't worry about it, Chōjurō," Naruto said uneasily. Naruto looked back at the amused Hokage and asked. "So, Baachan, about that nap?"**

**"No naps, boy!" Huffed the short Tsuchikage with a frown on his face. **

"The garden gnome speaks!" Hermes screamed, "I knew this would happen someday! But NO! None of you believed me!"

"I think he's finally lost it." Apollo murmured to Dionysus, who hummed.

"Maybe, he's still got some sanity in him. Just give him a minute or two."

"Meh, if you say so."

"Little red hats!" Hermes cackled.

**He levitated up from his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. Onoki gave Naruto a stern glare. "You called this meeting, Uzumaki and I made the stupid trip to the Land of Iron once again. I'm not going to wait for you to explain the urgency because you were up making a seal for something..."**

**One of the Tsuchikage's bodyguards snickered and grinned at Naruto. She was about half a head shorter than Temari and wore the traditional Iwa attire. Her pink eyes glistened in amusement. "Don't mind gramps, he's just cranky because he missed his nap."**

"Zeus gets like that." Hades snorted.

"I do not need naps!" Zeus rumbled.

Poseidon shrugged, "I take them all the time. On a nice beach too."

"Beware Poseidon, the beached whale." Hades broadcasted, getting a glare. But he didn't care, the lord of the underworld never got to take naps!

**"Kurotsuchi!" Onoki glared at his dark-haired granddaughter.**

**"I concur with the Tsuchikage," Ē said. Naruto looked at the muscled Raikage with bleary eyes as Ē set his only arm on the table. "Not to mention that Kirabi insisted on coming just to get back in touch with you."**

**"Octopops is here?" Naruto asked tiredly. He gasped as he was pulled into a tight one-armed hug by the shinobi in question.**

**"Hey, Mr. Nine, keep your eyes open! Ain't never gonna know when you gonna face an opponent. Be grateful that the only one in the shadows is this Jinchuriki, the loyal and awesome Killer Bee! Whee!" Kirabi cheered as he let Naruto go and held his fist out.**

Apollo dabbed his teary eye, "He has such a way with words…"

Hermes skooched over to the left.

**Naruto grinned back and pushed his fist against the container of the Hachibi, Gyūki. "Glad to see you, too, Octopops."**

**"Naruto. B." Eyes went to the last man in the room, the quiet and book-reading Rokudaime Hokage-to-be Kakashi. His eyes met Naruto's and the masked man arched a brow. "We'll discuss pleasantries later, but perhaps we should discuss the reason behind this meeting, as the Tsuchikage said."**

**Tsunade nodded. "Indeed. Well, brat?"**

**Naruto looked around the room and sighed. Looks like he wasn't going to get any sleep just yet. Naruto scratched his head. "Okay, so, you got my report I gave Octopops, right? Well...there may have been a complication."**

**Naruto thought that the Kage took the news of the bounty on his head and the revival of several deceased shinobi well. They didn't start shouting at him off the bat, and they didn't start to criticize him on how he handled Hanzō. However, once he got to the reason why he requested permission to remove his seal...things got a bit...hairy.**

A gagging shouted fired off and a wet hairball landed next to Frank, "Ew!" he cried out.

"Now _that's _hairy." Ares wiggled his brows, holding up a raggity alley cat.

"Where did you even get that?" Hera said in disgust.

"Uh, we're in New York City. How many of these things do you think I punt for fun?"

Everyone just starred at the war god, "What?" he demanded.

Reyna just continued to read.

**"Are you out of your mind!?" Tsunade roared as she stood from her seat and glared at the tired blond. "You want us to give you permission to fight against **_**more**_** gods?!"**

**"Kaguya was bad enough," Kakashi said with a nod of agreement.**

**"Technically, she was a daughter of Zeus, the king, and he's also, sort of...my great-grandfather. Can I **_**please**_** go take a nap? My head is killing me." Naruto groaned and he rubbed his head. He could barely keep his eyes open at the moment, which is weird, because he's done all-nighters before. It was almost as if something wanted him to fall asleep.**

**"No!" Onoki scowled at him. "If you unseal your gifts from the sage, then the Uchiha's abilities become available to him once again!"**

"Wait, Sasuke has some super ninja boost too…besides his pink eye?" Nico asked.

"Looks that way, and if his attitude from Apollo Naruto-" Annabeth said, but Hermes interrupted her.

"Apoluto!"

"…Apoluto. But with Naruto stopping him in this one, he must have some reality warping type of power too."

"How does an eye infection grant so much OP-ness?" Percy asked, getting some looks, "What'd I say?"

"Mr. OP himself," Thalia murmured, and those that heard her agreed.

**"It wouldn't be a problem if we had dealt with him as I said we should've," Ē said as he and Kakashi held a glare with one another.**

**"Sasuke has already been banished from his home and has been assisting the continent with bandit problems," Kakashi said sternly. "He is a good person."**

**"Yeah, good person." Kurotsuchi huffed softly. "And I'm going to jump the shark boy over there in his sleep."**

Aphrodite giggled up a storm at that one.

**Mei let out a laugh while Chōjurō flushed bright red.**

**"Kurotsuchi, keep your mouth shut!" Onoki hissed.**

**The girl frowned. "What'd I say?"**

**"Enough!" Gaara's voice was not loud, but firm. The Kage turned to the former second-in-command of the Shinobi Alliance as he steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. "From what we know of Naruto and B's report, these gods rule the planet and control the elements of their domains. We also know that they have cut all ties with our island, which means they do not want to involve themselves with mortals. This ties in with what Naruto has reported. If the original entity that controlled the planet does reawaken, do any of you expect that it will allow us, who differ so greatly from the other men on the earth, to continue to exist?"**

"Gaea is everyone's problem, even super powered ninjas." Leo nodded, "So we get more ninja backup? Where was our ninja backup?"

"We didn't need one." Percy told him.

"It would've been nice though, dude."

**"Gaara's got a point," Naruto said. Even though he was tired, he could still follow the conversation. "Tsuchi or Gaea or whatever, she's nuts. Kaguya wanted to get rid of chakra, Gaea wants to get rid of **_**everything**_** and start again."**

**"But if the Uchiha-!" Onoki was cut off by Naruto's abrupt interruption.**

**"If Sasuke goes nuts again – which he won't! – then I'll take care of it like I did before." Naruto shrugged. "Problem solved."**

"Because he's just that good at what he does." Aphrodite smirked.

"Beating people up?" Ares asked hopefully.

"Making the pretty ones listen to him."

"Mom!" Piper cried out as Aphrodite tittered in glee.

**"Naruto, last time you took care of it, it cost you an arm. Literally," Ē said dryly.**

**Naruto just blinked tiredly. "And?"**

**"...Point taken." Ē sighed.**

"Tis but a flesh wound!" Apollo said in an olden time accent.

"No it's not, it's your bloody arm!" Hermes said in a cockney accent.

"I've had worse." Apollo brushed off.

**Tsunade shook her head. "Well, I guess this all makes sense. Minato was the son of the war and wisdom goddess...and he was always sort of cheeky. **

"A hereditary trait." Hera sniffed, giving Annabeth a distateful look.

**I chalked that up to Jiraiya's tutelage, though."**

**"Then how would you explain Naruto?" Kakashi asked, a glint in his eyes.**

**Tsunade looked at the Rokudaime dryly. "That was your fault. Jiraiya just made it worse."**

**Gaara gave Naruto an amused look. "You said your mother was Aphrodite? What was her domain again?"**

**"The goddess of lust, beauty, and love. She was also known as the Lady of Doves," Naruto said. He got a high-five from Kirabi for the one-liner rap. "She's an Olympian, one of the primary twelve on the counsel."**

**Onoki snorted. "The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero was a goddess of love? I call bullshit on that."**

"Not a lie! Tell them Apollo!"

Apollo nodded, "It's the truth."

Aphrodite smiled blindingly at that.

**"Same." Ē and Kakashi nodded in agreement. Kushina was a **_**monster**_** in battle or training. The three shuddered as memories overcame them. Those chains were **_**evil**_**.**

"That's just Dite's bondage fetish." Ares waved off.

Piper looked ready to hurl at that one.

"Ares, no talking about that in public." The love goddess told him with a sweet smile.

"Er, right."

**"**_**Aha! See!? I knew I wasn't the only one that thought your mother was a bitch!**_**" Kurama declared happily.**

"I'm with the fox on this one," Artemis agreed.

**Naruto rolled his eyes. **_**Shut up, Kurama.**_

**Kankuro arched a brow and rubbed his chin. "I dunno. As a guy who is comfortable with his sexuality, I can honestly say that Naruto is a pretty damn good looking guy."**

**"Uh, thank you?" Naruto blinked in confusion.**

**"Don't mention it," Kankuro said with a dismissive shrug. He nodded to Temari. "I only said it because she's been looking at the proposal ring she got last month a bit bitterly."**

Aphrodite pumped her fist, "Yes! Bring the conflicted feelings baby!"

"He best not," Hera warned sternly.

**"I was not!" Temari denied heatedly. Gaara shook his head while the other Kage smirked in amusement. His siblings were so childish.**

**"Wait, whoa, time **_**out**_**." Naruto held his hands up in the universal signal for everything to stop. He looked at Temari with wide eyes. "You're engaged!? Does Shikamaru know!?"**

**"He was the one that proposed, Naruto." Gaara answered with a small smile.**

**Naruto blinked owlishly. "Oh." He dropped his fist into his open palm and a wide smile overcame his features. "I knew it! You were on a date when I came back from training with Jiraiya!"**

The love goddess clapped, "That's my boy!" He knew the signs just like his momma.

**Temari rolled her eyes. "Yes, Naruto, you caught us. We were on a date. All hail your skills of observation."**

**Naruto pouted at her like a kicked puppy. "There's no need to be so mean about it." He kicked the ground lightly. "Plus, I should've been told that first. I'm one of Shikamaru's oldest friends...I'll bet he told Kiba before me, didn't he?!"**

"The scandal!"

"Aphrodite, do shush, we want to listen." Demeter told her, making the goddess puff up her cheeks.

**"Enough of this foolishness!" Onoki snapped. The Kage turned to him as he kept a hard gaze on Naruto. "You wish to unseal the powers of the Rikudo, fine! **_**But**_** I suggest you only do so if you have to fight one of these 'gods'. **

Zeus pursed his lips, "Ah, this one was the doubter, correct?"

"Yes father," Athena nodded.

**There should be no reason for you to unseal these powers otherwise."**

**"And he'll need to be seen fighting one as well." Ē added with a nod. He turned to his other bodyguard, a white-haired man with equally dark skin dressed in loose dark attire. "Darui-!"**

**"No, bro, let me go!" Kirabi cut in pleadingly. "I can keep a tight eye on Naruto!"**

**"We do not have to keep the Jinchuriki hidden from the enemy this time around," Onoki said with a nod. "But I want eyes I can trust out there as well. Kurotsuchi?"**

**The pink-eyed girl hummed and shrugged. "Sure, but give me the hat when we're done, okay Gramps?"**

**"You're the last choice I have to be the fourth Tsuchikage!" Onoki retorted heatedly. The two started to argue over his withering health and the future of the village, which made the other Kage smirk in great amusement.**

**Mei turned to look at Tsunade. "This is a good idea. Send the young protectors of our villages to act as emissaries. I'll send Chōjurō out to defend Naruto-san and interact with the world. He has to find other members for the Seven Swordsmen anyway."**

"Nice! Blue guy is coming." Percy grinned, he wouldn't mind joining these sword guys. He wondered if dying your hair was necessary.

**Chōjurō sputtered for a moment. "But-but Mizukage-sama!"**

**"Chōjurō-kun, you don't want to upset your Mizukage do you?" Mei asked sweetly as she fluttered her lashes at him.**

Aphrodite sighed, "I wish she were my daughter. She's a natural."

**Chōjurō whimpered and hung his head as he walked around to stand beside Naruto and B. "No, Mizukage-sama."**

**"Good boy!" Mei said with a bright smile. She turned back to Naruto. "Kirigakure will hide you from your foes, Naruto-san."**

**"Sunagakure will poison your enemies," Kankuro said as he walked from behind Gaara to stand beside the blond. Gaara nodded at Kankuro's movement while his brother and friend shook hands.**

"You have my sword!" Hermes said, raising his cellphone.

Hephaestus nodded, "And my axe!"

"And my bow!" Apollo exclaimed.

"For the fellowship of the ring!"

"Nerds." Ares blanched, ugh, he just had to be related to them.

**"I guess that means that Iwagakure will have to defend the tree-hugger, then," Kurotsuchi said with a smirk as she hopped over her grandfather and walked to stand beside Kankuro.**

**Kirabi moved to kneel in front of Ē and intertwined his hands in a pleading fist. "Please, bro, let me go. I gotta be the one to watch out for my boy, Naruto!"**

**Ē looked at Darui, who shrugged and said coolly, "B-sama is the Hero of Kumo, Raikage-sama. I'm just your right hand. When it comes down to it, he's a better choice than I am. Sorry."**

**Ē turned to stare at Kirabi for another minute before he nodded. "Darui's right. B! Your mission is to defend and watch Naruto Uzumaki, genin-!"**

**"Jonin," Tsunade said with a smirk. She turned to the surprised blond and gave him a smile. "I'd say he's earned his promotion ten times over."**

"Yay to a better paycheck!" Percy mock cheered.

**Naruto beamed widely at the news. The chunin promotion was awesome, but the field promotion to Jonin? That was **_**so**_** much better. Kakashi's proud look made Naruto straighten even further in pride.**

**"Er, right," Ē said. "Defend and watch Jonin Naruto Uzumaki to ensure he is not killed by bounty hunters or abuse his powers gifted to him by the Rikudo."**

**Naruto rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Yeah, like I'm going to bend reality over something little. Like making instant ramen actually instant..." Naruto's eyes widened at his words and he clapped his hands to either side of his head. "How have I never thought of that before?!"**

**"...Yeah, sending people to watch him is a great idea," Kankuro said while Kurotsuchi groaned into her palm.**

**"The Savior of the World, everybody," she said.**

**B, however, pumped his fist. "Yo say ho! **

Artemis pointed to Aphrodite, "Ho."

The love goddess squawked.

"What? The rapping ninja told me to do it." the huntress said with a sly smile.

Athena gave Apollo a look, "I told you rap was rotting the minds of the youth."

"It's not my fault! And Arte ain't that young despite what she believes!"

**You know you can count on me, bro! Uzumaki's not gonna be beaten with me at his side! I'm the ultimate shinobi best suited to defend his hide!"**

**Tsunade nodded. "Right, then we are agreed. Naruto Uzumaki, you have the permission of the Five Villages to unseal your Rikudo powers if you face against a god, and you will lead this small squad to fend off any revived shinobi."**

**Naruto grinned tiredly as his adrenaline rush started to fade. "Sure thing, Baachan."**

**"Allied Squad, you're all dismissed!" Tsunade said. The five nodded and four of them turned to Naruto.**

**A moment passed before Naruto asked. "Why are you all staring at me?"**

"You're the leader, say something," Jason whispered.

"He's just got performance anxiety." Apollo said.

"Not with your daughter he didn't." Ares grinned.

"…You did not just go there." The sun god glared.

"I did, ha!"

**Kankuro and Kurotsuchi stared at him for a moment before they palmed their heads in sync. Kirabi chuckled and pulled out his notebook to write something down. It was Chōjurō who had the courage to speak up.**

**"Uh, forgive me, Naruto-sama, but we don't know where we're supposed to go." Chōjurō sweated slightly as Naruto stared at him blankly. "Er, didn't you say you were travelling with your half-sister and other demigods?"**

"Oh…that's bad." Frank winced.

"And his clone's asleep!" Hazel worried, "And wasn't the scroll tucked away?"

Frank corrected himself, "Really bad."

"Or in Percy's words, really, really bad." Annabeth teased.

"One time!" the son of Poseidon frowned, "Just once I said that!"

**"...Right, gotta get back to the Argo!" Naruto nodded as it all came rushing back to his sleep ridden mind. He pulled the massive scroll strapped over his shoulders around and set it on the ground. Naruto unrolled it to reveal a large seal that had a large kanji for Shinobi in the center of it. The demigod beamed and set his hands on his hips. "Awesome, now all we have to do is get summoned back to the ship!"**

**A moment of silence passed.**

**"Naruto..." Tsunade took in a breath of air to calm herself down. "Is there a toad on the ship?"**

**"Huh? No, Baachan. Boss Toad said I can't summon the toads outside of the continent anymore, remember?" Naruto asked. He just explained this a second ago, didn't he? How'd she forget so soon?**

**Tsunade reached over and grabbed Kakashi by his flak jacket. "Get me a bottle of Sake. No, ten bottles."**

"Make it twenty."

"No," Zeus told Dionysus, making the wine god click his tongue in annoyance.

"Spoilsport."

"I can take back those fifty years you know."

"No!" Dionysus cried out, "I'll be good."

Zeus gave a pleased nod, "See that you do."

**"I'll take some sake, too," Onoki said with a grin.**

**"The old geezer can't drink it! It's bad for his liver and he's not allowed to die before he gives me the hat!" Kurotsuchi interjected.**

**Kakashi slipped out of Tsunade's grasp and walked over to Naruto. He set his hands on his student's shoulders and stared into Naruto's eyes calmly. "Naruto. Is there a chakra user other than yourself on the Argo II?"**

**Naruto blinked as he pondered the words. His eyes widened in fear as he made the connection that no, no there was not a chakra user. He'd just stranded himself and his team back on the hidden continent!**

**Before he could panic audibly, salvation came in the form of a certain nine-tailed fox known as Kurama.**

**"**_**Idiot! Don't panic, summon a clone, dispel it and then wait for your other clone to get the memories.**_**" Kurama barked.**

"Thank the internal reminder!" Leo wiped his brow, "That was close."

"Meh, clichéd," Apollo shrugged, but grinned, "Still funny though, hehe."

_**Kurama, I could kiss you right now.**_** Naruto thought as he calmed down.**

"Burn the furry!" Ares cried out, waving his pitchfork, "Burn him!"

He was doused with water.

"You chilled out now?" Poseidon asked.

Ares just spat out some water, his sunglasses steaming.

"You're despicable."

**"**_**Ew, don't. I don't want Uchiha germs on me.**_**"**

_**I meant **_**kick**_**. I could **_**kick**_** you right now**_**. Naruto thought with a twitch in his eye. He forced an awkward laugh and rubbed his neck. "Oh, wait, yeah! Sorry, I'm just tired, Kakashi-sensei. Of course there's another chakra user on the Argo II! You know me, I've always got a plan!"**

Athena nodded, "Indeed he does."

"He just needed a reminder of his plan." Annabeth giggled.

**"...I reiterate," Kurotsuchi began lowly. "He's the Savior of the World."**

**"For good reason," Kankuro said firmly. He crossed his arms and grinned lightly. "Besides, the kid's kind of funny."**

**Kurotsuchi gave him an odd look. "Says the one that wears makeup."**

**"Oh, ha-ha, like I've never heard that one before," Kankuro said dryly. "It's war paint, I've worn it since I was young. Make any joke you've got, I'll bet I've gotten more tail than you have any sausages."**

"Honestly, such crude remarks." Hestia frowned.

"I like make-boy's style." Ares chuckled.

Artemis rolled her eyes, "You would, pig."

"Get a new one Antler-head!"

**"Are you trying to get in a dick measuring contest with me?" Kurotsuchi asked in bewilderment.**

**"Why, are you admitting to having one?"**

**Kirabi snickered. "Burn."**

"I love their flirting," Aphrodite tittered.

"How is that flirting?" Athena questioned.

"It's like how you and Poseidon never get along, but deep down."

Poseidon coughed into his fist, "Never."

"Same." Athena commented with a wrinkle of her nose.

The love goddess pouted, she knew there were sparks between them! Just look at their children!

**"Shut it, Jinchuriki!" Kurotsuchi glared at the Kumo nin with a scowl.**

**"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto made a clone appear and promptly dispelled it. He turned to the squabbling trio and then looked at the groaning Kiri shinobi. "Um, did I miss something?"**

**"No, Naruto-sama," Chōjurō said with a sigh. He readjusted his bandaged sword and moved to stand beside him. "So this is a summoning seal?"**

**Naruto beamed. "Yeah, I made it myself last night. This is actually just a receiving seal that will send whatever is atop it to the location of the other seal. Once my clone gets the memories, we should leave at any second."**

**"Interesting." Chōjurō mumbled. "Think you could reproduce it?"**

**"Probably." Naruto shrugged. "Why?"**

**"It might make for good trade between our villages," Chōjurō said. **

"Teleportation would increase trade flow," Hermes murmured with interest.

"In the future Hermes," the smith god told him.

"Aw, not that whole world of tomorrow thing!" Hermes whined.

**He rubbed his chin and ignored the interested gazes of the Kage as he continued. "Now, you said that the toads didn't understand the language of the demigods?"**

**"No, they use something called English mostly," Naruto said. He rubbed the back of his head. "I got lucky and got the language implanted in my head...I guess you guys are going to have to learn it."**

**"Maybe not," Chōjurō said. He looked at the Mizukage, who nodded, and then looked back at Naruto. "You've obviously got the skills in Fuinjutsu that Jiraiya, the Yondaime Hokage and the Uzumaki clan were known for, so perhaps you could perfect a seal that we've been working on in Kirigakure no Sato. A sort of translation seal."**

Athena pursed her lips, now translators? That was just astounding! All they had were computer programs.

**Naruto rubbed his cheek. "Can you fill me in on it when I get some sleep?"**

**"Sure, but until then you're going to have to act as our translator." Chōjurō shrugged. He turned to the other three and frowned. "Excuse me." The squabbling trio looked at him. "We're waiting to be summoned, so perhaps you should move to stand with us be – "**

**Whatever he was going to say was lost as Chōjurō and Naruto suddenly vanished in a large explosion of smoke. Kakashi chuckled and shook his head.**

**"There's Naruto for you. If you have to do it, do it with **_**way**_** too much chakra so it's nice and flashy," he said as he pulled his book out and leaned against the wall.**

**Kurotsuchi, Kankuro and Kirabi exchanged looks before they scrambled to stand on the scroll and wait for their turn.**

**" – fore we're taken away...from...Oh," Chōjurō said with a blink of his eyes as he suddenly appeared next to Naruto in a grassy field with a large group of teenagers his age wielding various weapons. He looked over them and counted about fifty in total. "Well, this doesn't seem good."**

"The first Cohort, yes, not good." Reyna agreed, but looked worried at the same time.

**"Oh, joy." Naruto grumbled as he caught sight of who stood across from him. "The Romans caught up to us."**

**"Naruto!"**

**"Not now, Imouto!" Naruto called over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off of the now frozen fleet of teenagers that stared at him warily.**

"Aw, isn't that cute?" Ares asked, "They want to flee in terror. Yes they do, yes they do."

"Please stop that," Frank asked, it creepy as hell.

"I make no promises."

Apollo shook head, "Said fact, I know."

**Kurama snickered. "**_**I think they remember you.**_**"**

_**Good.**_** Naruto gained serious look in his exhausted eyes as his clone dispelled and he received the memories of it. Apparently, the clone secretly followed the girls to their meeting spot with the – shudder – ghost lady. **

Artemis chuckled, "Frightful of his own mother, fitting."

"Ugh, you can be such a child Artemis, learn to act your age." Aphrodite humphed.

**When it received the other clone's memories, the first clone had to rush back to the Argo II to get the scroll and by the time it came back, the Romans were there.**

**"Chōjurō, think you can stall some of them while I summon the rest?" Naruto asked the Kirigakure shinobi.**

**Chōjurō's surprise left his face and his gaze turned cold. **

"Uh, I think the dweeb looking guy isn't that big of a dweeb." Leo pointed out, getting a snort from Percy.

"Duh, he's blue."

"…A color does not rate manliness status Percy." The son of fire told him.

"Shows what you know."

**He reached over his shoulder to the double handled sword that was strapped to his back and pulled the bandaged weapon from its holster.**

**"I will do as you command, Naruto-sama," Chōjurō said with a nod. He gripped both handles of his sword and rushed forward. When he was a good distance away, Chōjurō swung and let out a cry. "Hiramekarei Kaihō (Twinsword Unleashing)!"**

**The bandage sword exploded with blue chakra and formed a massive hammer that knocked eight of the fifty Roman demigods into the air with one swing. **

"See Leo?" Percy said smugly, "One swing and they go flying like bowling pins."

The Romans coughed, getting his attention.

Percy looked a bit nervous, "Uh, what I mean is…ninjas are broken?"

"We'll go with that." Jason frowned.

**Naruto moved back off the scroll and built chakra into his hand. The blond lifted his hand up and slammed it down onto the scroll. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Shinobi!"**

**A cloud obscured his vision before the three other members of his newly made Allied Squad appeared before him. Kankuro, seeing the danger, reached for one of the scrolls on his back while Kirabi reached for Samehada's handle.**

**"Kill them! Kill them all!" Naruto glared at the blond in the back, Octavian.**

**Kurama snorted. "**_**What a little shit.**_**"**

"Yep." Resounded all the demigods.

Apollo just hung his head.

**"I don't know what he said, but he needs to shut up," Kankuro said with a scowl. He pointed at the ordering blond situated behind the legionnaires and a barely visible string of chakra shot out from his fingertip. It wrapped around Octavian's raised fist and Kankuro smirked. He twitched his finger and Octavian suddenly punched himself in the face hard enough to knock him flat on his back.**

"…He's my hero." Leo claimed with an excited smile, "Do it again!"

**Kurotsuchi laughed as she pulled out a kunai and prepared a hand seal. "Nice one, puppet boy. Do it again."**

"What she said!"

**"No, he's down. Octopops, you're on retrieval." Naruto rolled up the other scroll and pulled it over his shoulders. He pointed behind him to the three demigoddesses. "Take them back to the ship."**

**"Aw, man, c'mon Mr. Nine. It's fighting time!" Kirabi complained.**

"Let the rapping ninja fight dammit!" Apollo demanded, slamming his fists on his armrests.

"He can fight later." Artemis rolled her eyes.

**Naruto frowned at him. "We're not fighting now, we need to go."**

**Kirabi sighed and rubbed his head. "Alright, kid you're the boss. Next time though, I want to get in a toss!"**

**The Kumo shinobi ran towards the three demigoddess and quickly picked two of them up under his arms, one had brown hair and the other had skin like he did. An octopus tentacle sprouted from his back and wrapped around the last, a blonde girl that looked a little like Naruto. **

"What?!" Annabeth paled in horror.

"So, Annabeth, I hear you like-"

"Finish that McLean and your life will turn into hell itself." The daughter of wisdom threatened.

"Well, with Percy as your boyfriend…" Piper giggled off.

"I don't get why she's getting weirded out." Percy whispered to Jason, who shrugged in return.

"Don't you two go online?" Leo asked them.

"Demigods." The two powerhouses told him.

"A magazine?"

He got nothing from them.

Leo just shook his head, "You two are disappointments. At least Frank knows what I'm talking about, since he can change into one after all."

"I would never do that!" Frank turned bright red.

"Do what?" Hazel asked with confusion.

"Nothing." Frank told her, "Absolutely nothing."

**Kirabi figured she wouldn't mind the biju tail if she was related to him. By the struggles and yells she made, Kirabi realized he had been mistaken. Oh well, sucks for her.**

**"Kankuro, Kurotsuchi, can you put some obstacles between us and them?" Naruto asked as he looked back at the other two shinobi. Kankuro pulled his scroll open and channeled chakra into it, which pulled out a large puppet of a redheaded man while Kurotsuchi smirked at Naruto.**

**"Sure thing, Uzumaki," Kurotsuchi said. She looked at Kankuro. "Think your toy can keep up with my lava?"**

**Kankuro smirked back at her as he used his chakra strings to make his puppet come to life. "Sasori was a member of Akatsuki, remember?"**

**"Whoever deals with the most wins?"**

**"We're **_**not**_** killing!" Naruto ordered sternly. **

"At least we won't have casualties, just bruised pride." Reyna sighed.

**He looked out to the swordsman. "Chōjurō, fall back!" The swordsman knocked another seven demigods back before he ran back towards the group. He looked like he had hardly broken a sweat. Naruto looked at the other two and nodded. "Do it!"**

**"Yōton: Sekkaigyō no Jutsu (Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Technique)!" **

"You put the lime in the coconut and you shake it all up! You put the lime-" Apollo sang happily.

"Not that kind of lime," Hades rolled his eyes, nimrod.

Apollo pouted, "I know that! Just trying to have some fun, Us!"

Zeus scoffed, "haven't you heard? Hades is the fun police."

"I thought that was your job?" the lord of the underworld shot back scathingly, earning himself a glare.

**Kurotsuchi blew out a smog from her mouth that quickly encased the first line of Roman demigods. The quicklime hardened and locked the demigods in place from the neck down. It turned their impenetrable lines against them, the first line of Romans were now a part of a large wall that kept the others behind them.**

Reyna rubbed her temples, "Really?" she asked, "That's…new. I will admit that." Breathing through her nose, she said, "Well, looks like we'll have to train around that." That was unfavorable flaw in their formation.

**"Heh, child's play." Kankuro smirked. He shifted his fingers and the puppet Sasori lifted its hands. Two streams of fire shot out from the tubes in the palms and ignited the grass around the Romans, keeping the formation trapped behind the wall Kurotsuchi made. "Stone can be broken, but it's fire that they have to watch out for."**

**"Look at that, your toy made a fire," Kurotsuchi said condescendingly. "Can you do the same?"**

**"It's a waste of chakra," Kankuro said with a scowl.**

**Kurotsuchi smirked at him. "Aw, does someone have a small chakra core?"**

**"That's just a damn rumor!"**

"Oh, I so ship them," Aphrodite squealed.

Ares chuckled, wiping a tear from his fiery eye, "Ah, good old compensation jokes."

"Don't you get that all the time?" Hermes asked.

Ares snarled in his direction for that one, "Says the minute man himself."

"That's a rumor!"

**"Someone sounds sensitive!"**

**"Hey, stop flirting and let's go!" Chōjurō barked as he followed Naruto back towards the Argo II. Kurotsuchi and Kankuro glowered at the swordsman as they burst into a run after their squad leader. They were not flirting!**

The love goddess tittered, "Yes you were!"

**Naruto landed on the deck and immediately felt bad that he hadn't sent a clone with Kirabi. The Seven and Hedge were surrounding the Kumo nin with weapons at the ready, Annabeth appeared to be the most displeased with him for some reason if her glare was anything to go by. Kirabi didn't look that intimidated, as he calmly wrote in his rap note book and mumbled lyrics to himself.**

**"**_**If there is a god, make him stop!**_**"**

**Naruto snickered at the Hachibi's dramatic plea. **

"You can never stop the rhyme time~" Apollo grinned.

"We wish we could," Artemis said with a suffering sigh.

**Honestly, Kirabi's rapping wasn't that bad. Naruto's amusement earned the attention of the Seven and Annabeth rounded on him.**

**"Naruto, who are these guys?!" She demanded. Annabeth pointed a finger at Kirabi and continued before Naruto could answer her. "And **_**why**_** did he have a tentacle coming out of his back that wrapped around me!?"**

**Leo, having heard the reason why Annabeth ordered the others to surround the tall muscled black guy, burst into laughter. "Oh man, feeling violated, Annabeth-**_**chan**_**?"**

Annabeth locked her furious grey eyes on Leo.

"Other me, other me!" the Latino squeaked in fear.

"…Be thankful it is."

**"Shut it, Valdez!" Annabeth snapped with red cheeks.**

**Percy lowered his sword slightly and scratched his head. "I don't get it."**

"Right?" Percy agreed with his other.

**"Right there with you, dude," Jason said with a shrug. He looked at the other shinobi and then back at Naruto. "So...These guys are your backup?"**

**"Something like that, yeah." Naruto nodded. He walked up to Kirabi and the two fist bumped. "Yo, Octopops, have any trouble?"**

**"Hell no." Kirabi replied calmly as he looked at his notebook. "These kids don't even meet me on my scale, Naruto."**

"…I don't like him." Percy frowned, "Blue guy's cool, but that? So not cool."

"I thought it was way past cool." Apollo grinned.

"Nice!" Thalia snickered at the reference.

**Naruto hid a wince and for the moment, he was glad that the others couldn't understand Kirabi. That wouldn't have helped with relations. He looked at Annabeth apologetically. "He says he was sorry, but he acted before he thought. And I did tell him to carry you guys back to the Argo."**

**Annabeth huffed and glared at the Kumo shinobi. "Fine, but no more tentacles near me."**

**Leo laughed again and put his hand on Percy's shoulder. "No pet squids for you, dude."**

**Percy blinked and frowned. "Why would I want a pet squid?"**

**"...Wow, man, really? That's kind of sad," Leo said.**

"Sadly little baby seal Jackson." Leo nodded solemnly.

"Leo, shh." Piper told him with a snorting giggle.

**"What?"**

**"You don't use a computer? Like, at all?"**

**"Technology and demigods don't go well."**

**"...But there's magazines..."**

**"For what?"**

"Wow, we just had this conversation, weird how in-sync we are." Leo chuckled over the topic.

**Leo just stared at Percy for a minute. He walked away, stunned. "Man, and I thought Jason was kind of dim at times..."**

**"I heard that, Leo!"**

**"Just checking, bro!" Leo called. He gave Naruto a salute. "Later blondie, if you need me I'll be flying the ship **_**away**_** from the Romans."**

**Naruto nodded and looked back at the other six demigods. He scratched his head. "So...did we get the map?"**

**"Got it," Frank said with a nod. He looked beyond Naruto at the other three shinobi. "Um, who are your friends?"**

**"**_**The awkwardness is amazing.**_**" Kurama mumbled.**

_**Shut up, I'm tired.**_** Naruto thought back before he looked at Kankuro, Kurotsuchi and Chōjurō. He waved them over and looked back at Frank before he grinned at Kirabi. "Well, this guy is one of my best friends and the Jinchuriki for the Hachibi, Gyūki. He floats like a butterfly, but stings like a Mighty Killer Bee!"**

**Kirabi grinned and held his fist out to Frank. **

"They do that in Canada too, right?" Percy asked Frank, who glowered.

"Yes. We do. We're not aliens Percy."

"I don't know, you and your metric system…"

"Hey, that's on you Americans!"

**Frank looked at it for a moment before he hesitantly pushed his fist against the larger man's. Kirabi's grin shrank subtly and he withdrew his fist.**

**"Sad life for you, man. I know the pain of losin' fam." Kirabi nodded solemnly. He gave Frank a thumbs up and grinned wide again. "Though you're not as awesome as me, I'm certain one day you'll give a sting like Kirabi!"**

"…How does he know that?" Frank worried.

"I think Jinchuriki have some kind of Empath ability." Annabeth theorized.

"Still, it's kind of unsettling." The son of Mars frowned.

**"Uh, right, nice to meet you too," Frank said nervously. He looked at Naruto, who had already turned to the blue haired boy with a strange two handled weapon on his back.**

**"This is Chōjurō, of Kirigakure no Sato," Naruto said with a smile as he patted the blue haired swordsman on the shoulder. "He's also the first member of the next generation of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist."**

**Chōjurō bowed slightly. "A pleasure to meet all of you, even if you speak strangely."**

**"...Is his hair naturally blue?" Percy asked.**

Annabeth palmed her face.

Thalia patted her shoulder, "Just hope you get a boy, Annie."

"Not helping, Thalia." The blonde growled.

The Hunter smirked, "I know."

**Naruto looked at him and blinked. "Yeah?"**

**"He's my favorite."**

**Annabeth groaned into her hand. "Percy..."**

**"What? That's **_**awesome**_**!" Percy defended himself.**

**Chōjurō looked at Naruto. "What did he say?"**

**"He likes the way you look," Naruto said simply.**

**Chōjurō flushed lightly and sputtered. "But I, I mean, I don't, tell him I'm straight!"**

Ares burst into laughter, "Way to go Jackson!"

Percy turned a dark shade of red, "That's not what I meant! Naruto!" he cried in outrage.

"So, what do you think of the Blue Man group Percy?"

"Not funny, Nico." The son of Poseidon glared at the grinning Italian boy.

"I beg to differ."

**Naruto blinked. "Uh...okay?" Naruto turned to Percy. "Chōjurō wants you to know that he's straight."**

**"...Why?" Percy asked, to which Naruto shrugged. Annabeth gave Chōjurō a glare that made the swordsman shrink back.**

**"She...can't spit lava, can she?" Chōjurō asked.**

**Kurotsuchi glared at him. "And what's wrong with spitting lava?!"**

**"Uh, nothing! Nothing!" Chōjurō laughed nervously and waved his hands in front of him as he backed away. "Mizukage-sama can just get very irritable and the look the blonde has is a lot like hers before she threatens Ao with melting his...parts."**

"…I think I'm beginning to like this woman," Artemis smiled, much to Aphrodite's horror.

"No! I saw her first!" the love goddess whined like a child.

"She's a fictional character."

"Mine!"

**"Kid's got a brain," Kankuro said with a smirk as he crossed his arms. He looked at the group of kids that were staring at him and he scowled. "What? Something on my face?"**

**"Makeup."**

**"Piss off, Rock Humper!" Kankuro shot back.**

**Naruto groaned and rubbed his eye. He was too tired for this crap. "Kankuro, please..."**

**"Alright, alright." Kankuro lamented, but not before giving the amused Kurotsuchi one last glare. He looked back at the demigods and pointed at thumb at himself. "Kankuro. Sunagakure no Sato."**

**"He's Gaara's brother," Piper said as the name clicked in her head. "The puppet user."**

"He's the Master of Strings!" Thalia broke out into song.

Apollo bobbed his head in rhyme, "Metal!"

"Thalia," Artemis frowned, "What have I told you about breaking out into random songs. You know it reminds me of Apollo when he's annoying. Like always."

"But it's such a good song," Thalia pouted.

**"Right!" Naruto grinned. He snickered at the recent appearance of Gaara and looked at Kankuro. "Is Gaara really combing his hair now?"**

**"At Temari's urging," Kankuro said with a chuckle. "She says it'll make him look more respectable, but...he kind of looks like a dweeb."**

**"Yeah he does." Naruto agreed. He looked at Kurotsuchi. "You want to introduce yourself?"**

**"What made Chōjurō and the Hachibi container so special?" Kurotsuchi asked with a quirked brow.**

**Naruto frowned at her. "Don't call Kirabi that."**

"We don't like labels here." Piper huffed.

"Speak for yourself dear," Aphrodite said while flipping her hair over her shoulder.

**"Don't sweat it, Naruto. I can handle the names, you know." Kirabi shrugged indifferently. He was a known Jinchuriki after all, getting picked on and ostracized was what happened to them.**

**Naruto gave him a small nod and then looked at the demigods as he pointed at Kurotsuchi. "And finally is the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi. She's one of the strongest kunoichi outside of Konoha."**

**Kurotsuchi frowned. "Hey, what are you telling them? I'm no fan of Konoha, tree hugger!"**

"Language barriers are funny like that," Hermes laughed, he had pulled a few good pranks with numerous languages.

**"Lay off him," Kankuro said with a light shove. "The guy's practically dead on his feet."**

**"Why is he so revered again?" Kurotsuchi asked with a frown.**

**"Uh, ended the Fourth War on his birthday? **

"I did that." Percy pointed out childishly.

**Stopped the Uchiha from toppling the Shinobi system? Mastered the power of the Kyubi?" Kankuro listed dryly. He arched a brow. "Need I say more?"**

**"...Tch, no." Kurotsuchi rolled her pink eyes. "Fanboy."**

**"Someone can't handle the truth." Kankuro mumbled.**

Apollo fanned out his arms, "Spread the word my brother!"

**Naruto, who could hear and understand their argument, rubbed his face. "Ugh...guys..."**

**"I'll handle it, Naruto-sama," Chōjurō said softly. He turned to the other two with a stern look on his face. "We've been chosen by our Kage to-"**

**"Oh, god and he's a devotee!" **

"All spread the Church of Naruto," Hermes said in a prayer, "Amen!"

"Amen!" the demigods jokingly agreed.

**Kurotsuchi groaned loudly as she cut the swordsman off. She rubbed her head. "I better get the Kage hat for this..."**

**"Talk about a boring ass job," Kankuro said with a snort.**

**Annabeth watched the three shinobi fall into an argument and she looked at Naruto with a frown on her face. She probably blamed him a bit for not telling Kirabi to not use Hachibi's tail to carry her. Naruto could deal with that. "What are they talking about?"**

**"Nothing important, Anna-oba...Look, guys, this is great and all, but can I finish introducing everyone later? I'm **_**exhausted**_**." Naruto groaned. He felt like he could fall asleep any minute.**

"He's going to fall flat on his face, isn't he?" Jason asked.

"Oh yeah," Leo nodded.

Jason's face grew serious, "Called it."

**"Now hold on a second! How do we know we can trust them?" Hedge asked with a firm grip on his club. He pointed it at Kirabi. "Let's test them, dibs on the big guy!"**

"I love him," Ares said, "but he's biting off more than he can do. And man do satyr have iron guts."

**"No, Coach," Jason said with an amused smile. "They're with Naruto, we can trust them."**

**"Bah, he still hasn't proven that he's not a spy," Hedge grumbled. He and Naruto exchanged glares.**

**"Love you too, Fuzzybritches." Naruto scowled at the satyr.**

**"Where are they gonna stay, though?" Piper asked. "There's no more rooms open."**

**"They can bunk with me," Naruto said nonchalantly.**

**"All in one place!? I don't think so!" Hedge pointed his club at the blond shinobi. "Listen here-urk!"**

"No!" Leo cried out, "No coaches neck! They Ninja'd him!" He grabbed Piper, shaking her by her shoulders, "Ninja'd him!"

"Leo, calm down! I don't think they'd kill him…much."

"Aha! They would!"

Jason just ushered for Reyna to continue.

**With that action, the other four moved. Kirabi suddenly held the club firmly in his hand, nearly crushing it in his grip. Kurotsuchi had a kunai to his throat while Kankuro had bound the satyr's goat-like legs with his chakra strings. Chōjurō had moved Naruto back and held his massive two-handled sword up defensively.**

"See Leo? Coach is fine." Piper said soothingly.

"Oh, phew." Leo wiped his brow, "For a second there I thought we'd be moping goat parts."

**"...Okay, I think I know why they're here," Annabeth said lowly. She looked around the other four shinobi. "These guys are the backup you talked about getting yesterday, aren't they?"**

**"Didn't I say that?" Naruto asked back. He gave another innocent blink and poked Chōjurō's shoulder. "Ne, you guys can relax. That's just how Fuzzybritches acts."**

**"...Hai, Naruto-sama," Chōjurō said as he and the other three relaxed slightly.**

**Hedge rubbed his neck and inspected his club and hooves once he was let go. "Okay...so they're here to protect him."**

**"...Why does **_**Naruto**_** need bodyguards?" Percy asked. "Isn't he, like, Super Saiyan Ninja?"**

"He's got a point," Percy nodded in agreement. Such a smart guy!

"They're watching him so he doesn't abuse his…God Mode." Annabeth whispered the last two words to Percy.

But the gods still heard her, much to their ire.

**Annabeth groaned into her hand again. "Percy, do we have to talk about this again? Naruto isn't an alien."**

**"But he did the Super Saiyan thing! And made giant**_** toads**_**!" Percy argued.**

**"Naruto is **_**not**_** an alien!" Piper retorted firmly with a glare directed at the Hero of Olympus. She even put her hands on her hips, the universal sign of displeasure, anger or offense.**

"Run Percy, run!" Jason cried out.

Piper raised a brow, "Something to say, Jason?"

Jason shook his head so fast, it was a surprise that he didn't snap his neck.

Thalia groaned, her brother was whipped. She didn't know if she should be happy or sad over this.

**"I dunno...it could explain a lot," Frank said softly.**

**Hazel looked at him. "Do you believe in aliens?"**

**"Well, there was that thing in Roswell back in...right, sorry," Frank said when he remembered who he was talking to. He rubbed his arm. "I'll explain it later."**

**"Okay, this is nice and all, but I can't stay awake anymore." Naruto grumbled. He was starting to get cranky without sleep, and a cranky Naruto was not a **_**fun**_** Naruto.**

Aphrodite nodded, "I know sweetie, I need my eight hours of beauty sleep too."

"More like you need to hibernate for that." Artemis scoffed under her breath.

**"**_**Just slip away from everyone while they argue. I do it all the time when you're arguing with someone. What are they going to do, shame you?**_**" Kurama asked with a snort.**

**Naruto thought about giving an angry retort before he realized Kurama was right. What **_**were**_** they going to do if he just decided to fall asleep while they bickered? Kick him off the Argo? Yeah, right. Annabeth and Piper wouldn't let that happen, and the shinobi (and kunoichi) would easily stop it. He was safe with his friends, so being attacked wasn't a problem.**

**Sleep. Dream. Sleep. Dream.**

_**That sounds like a great idea, Kurama**_**.**

**"**_**What, slip away from everyone? I was kidding. You remember how they reacted to your aunt and her mate's vanishing act. Naruto?**_**" Kurama's words were unheard by Naruto as he listened to the soft voice's mantra.**

**Sleep. Dream. Sleep. Dream.**

"We are inside your mind." Apollo said in a creepy voice, his eyes dilating, "MIND FREAK!" he crowed.

_**I just want to sleep**_**...Naruto's eyes rolled into his head and he faintly heard his name used by one of the other people on the deck. He fell to the side as darkness overcame him.**

**The last thing he heard was the not-real/real voice he heard before Gaea made Jason and Percy fight each other. It said five words that made Naruto uneasy and yet calm all at once.**

**Learn from your dream, Naruto.**

"Seriously, who is that?" Piper frowned, "It's creepy."

"I have a feeling," Aphrodite tittered.

"Who?"

"Not telling!"

Reyna closed the book and turned to the gods, "Who wishes to read?" she asked as politely as possible.

"Me!" Aphrodite cheered, talking the book.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**11: Dreams, Clouds and Barriers**

* * *

Aphrodite gladly snagged the book, eager to read more juicy drama.

**Immediately after Morpheus drew Naruto into his realm, Naruto realized that once again he was not in his own body. Again, he was dressed in the awesome sunset tunic. **

"He's wearing Sunny D?" Leo asked.

"It's an orange tunic Leo." Piper told him.

"I swear that it's wearable Sunny D." Leo hummed. "Not to self: Wearable liquid."

"I approve of this idea," Hermes said.

"I was going to say that!" Apollo complained.

Aphrodite looked annoyed. "I am only two sentences in, let me continue, please."

"Amazing, she can count."

The love goddess glared at Artemis and then looked back at the book.

**His movements belonged to somebody else.**

**Talk about annoying.**

**"This...does not bode well." The words left his lips, but Naruto didn't know why they were said. The eyes scanned the area and Naruto mentally gaped. He was literally standing on a starry sky. How the hell was that possible?! Before Naruto could think any more on this, the gaze went down to the blue, green and white planet he stood over. Naruto marveled at the sight of the planet he and the rest of humanity called home. **

"Now that is…amazing." Jason breathed. Gaea _was_ peaceful…when she wasn't trying to destroy all of humanity and the gods.

"It's a wondrous sight." Zeus added softly.

**It truly was beautiful from here. "I cannot let it happen. I will not lose Gaea."**

"Ah, Daddy, you really make the drama so amazing." Aphrodite giggled like a naughty school girl.

**Lose Gaea? What was this guy talking about? Naruto could only watch as his body strode down an invisible pathway to the rock that was home. Within seconds, he was back on Earth, a proud and powerful stride that made large lizard-like animals scurry away from him.**

**"Beloved!" There's a voice that sounds familiar. Naruto's head turned and he felt a smile spread across his face as the young and, oddly enough, beautiful primordial of the Earth quickly approached him.**

"So young, so innocent, oh so the drama~!"

"Aphrodite, read." Athena told her.

"Spoilsport." The love goddess pouted.

**"Gaea." The voice greeted happily when the powerful arms captured her in a tight hug. When Naruto's body pulled away, the eyes met with Gaea's beautiful green. "Are they-?"**

**"All healthy and happy. Come see, come see!" Gaea was elated and bright with her excitement. She dragged Naruto over to a small alcove where three nude infants sprawled on the ground. **

"Oh, this is going to be bad." Annabeth murmured.

"And this is where the cycle starts." Apollo whistled.

Hera sighed. "The chain of events that lead to today. It is amazing to see it firsthand, though."

Zeus rubbed his beard as he contemplated their words.

**Oddly enough, they looked like they were growing larger with each second. The smile that was on Naruto's face fell as the infants turned and looked up at him, each with ****_one_**** single green eye in their heads.**

**"...They...are not like us," the voice said, a bit disappointed and almost wary.**

"Burn them!"

"That won't work, idiot." Hephaestus told his dimwitted and bloodthirsty brother.

**"Nonsense!" Gaea rebuffed. "They have your shape and my eye!"**

**"...They are missing an eye. And their fingers are larger than ours." Naruto wanted to roll his eyes. Of ****_course_**** the fingers were larger, babies fat primarily to cushion their bodies until the muscles finished developing.**

**"Why does it matter?" Naruto had to side with Gaea on this one. What was the big deal?**

**Naruto's body was still for a moment before he felt tense and the sky become dark. "I do not want to see them."**

"For shame! Shame!" Apollo raved like a loon as he pointed at the screen.

"You're the only shame here." Artemis told him.

"Please, I am the sun. I have no shame!" Apollo grinned. "I show all and see all."

Artemis palmed her face and mumbled. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

**"They're your sons-!"**

**"They are no sons of mine!"**

**Naruto wanted to ask for popcorn, this was getting heavy. **

Aphrodite giggled proudly. He was just like his mommy.

**He felt his hands clench and his legs move forward. Unable to do anything but silently protest, Naruto felt himself gather the three infants up in one hand by their ankles. Their cries made the sky crack, crafting the first lightning bolt. **

**Naruto felt his eyes narrow and his gaze harden.**

**"No! That's not-!"**

**"Be silent, Gaea!" Naruto mentally grimaced at his words. Whoever he was, this guy was a dick. The glare that was set on the Mother Earth cowed her significantly well and Naruto felt himself turn to the edge of where Gaea's domain ended and a dark pit opened. Naruto absently thought it was a stupid place to raise children. This thought was enhanced as he was forced to live through tossing three innocent Cyclopes into the abyss, they cried out for their mother as they fell.**

Zeus shifted, a frown under his beard. Yes, his grandfather was just like the god's own father. However, in Ouranos' case, he didn't eat his children, he just tossed them into Tartarus. Could that have been worse than Father's stomach?

Zeus highly doubted it.

**The vision became clouded and the dream slowly faded, but not before Naruto heard and felt one last sentence leave his lips: "I do this for you, Beloved."**

"Drama~!"

The gods face palmed at Aphrodite's excited singing.

**Well, if that didn't raise more questions than it did answer them, Naruto would stop eating Ramen altogether.**

**The dream didn't end, as Naruto thought it would. He awoke in the body that was not his own, somehow aware that time had moved forward. Again, the body faced Gaea, and again, there was rage that trembled through his form.**

**"Why!?" Naruto heard himself demand. "Why are our children so...so...****_Hideous_****!?"**

**Before Naruto were three men that stood easily as tall as the sky, a hundred arms on their torso while fifty heads were piled atop one another like strangely crafted pyramids. Hundreds of warm brown eyes stared fearfully at him while he scowled at them. Naruto looked them over once again, and their feet had eight toes each. Sixteen toed giants. That's a new one.**

"Ugh." Aphrodite wrinkled her nose. "I agree with you, Daddy. So hideous."

"Hey." Hephaestus warned his wife. He happened to like the Hundred-Handed Ones, just like he did the Cyclopes.

"Isn't Briares sort of my brother in-law?" Percy asked his father.

"He did marry your half-sister, so yes." Poseidon nodded.

"Wow, Tyson's going to flip out."

**"Beloved, please, they are your sons!" Gaea pleaded, with a hand gripped onto his arm. "Briares, Cottus and Gyges just want to know you as their father."**

**Naruto raged and again the sky darkened. **

"Gaea should've build bunkers." Hades commented.

"We did for him." Poseidon pointed a thumb at Zeus, who ignored them both in favor of the story.

**"They are foul-smelling abominations, Gaea! Don't you see what they could do?!"**

**"They've made you a gift! A gift for a king!" Gaea looked to their children and the middle giant with fifty pairs of teary eyes stepped forward hesitantly. A bronze staff that Naruto recognized instantly was held out to him.**

"How'd that thing even get to camp?" Ares asked. He wanted it!

Hermes shrugged. "The stuff just floats there for some reason."

**"Father-"**

**"You, monster, are no child of mine!" Naruto heard himself hiss. He grabbed the staff and held it over his head in both hands, then it was brought down over his knee and snapped in half. His action made the triplets cover their heads and duck away, their whimpers booming as the sky thundered. Naruto threw the staff pieces to the edge of the cliff so that they'd fall into the abyss where the cyclopes had gone – seriously, why did Gaea insist on having the kids here?!**

"He's got a point." Hazel frowned. "It's a terrible idea."

**Naruto's next action wasn't much of a surprise to him. Like with the three Cyclopes, Naruto grabbed them by their ankles. He pulled them from the ground and let them tumble into the abyss.**

**"They are not the monster, Our-!" The name Gaea used was partially muffled, but Naruto filed the part he heard away for later. Something about the 'our' and this whole situation was familiar to him, but for the life of him he couldn't place it. Gaea's words stirred Naruto back to the situation at hand. "****_You_**** are a monster!"**

Leo gasped in mock shock. "How hypocritical of her!"

"Duh, she's a goddess." Nico told him.

The goddesses, minus Hestia, looked at him.

"What? Gods in general are always hypocritical."

"He has a good point. I've come to terms with my hypocrisy," Hades said as he agreed with his son. He gave those glaring at Nico a stern look. "Can you own up and say the same?"

Needless to say, the goddesses, save for Hestia, all looked away as Aphrodite continued.

**"****_I_****?" Naruto returned heatedly. "I who loves you, Gaea?! I who cherish you more than anything?! I who protect you from what your children are?! ****_I_**** am the monster?! No!" His eyes narrowed and Naruto sneered at the sobbing mother. "I am your partner, Gaea, and I am doing what's best for you!"**

Hera rolled her eyes, there were just too many similarities with her relationship with Zeus, but still, he was at least better than their grandfather.

**Gaea's green eyes glared at him, the added tears made her eyes look like the planet he saw not so long ago in the last vision. "Leave! Begone! You are no longer welcome to my plane without my explicit permission!"**

**Naruto scowled as he suddenly left earth, the last image of the beautiful world being the heartbroken Gaea. He reappeared on the starry sky and stared down at the earth that was hidden by darkened clouds and shook ever so subtly. His scowl deepened and he turned from the planet.**

"That's basically go sleep on the couch in Primordial." Hermes translated with a snicker, getting a few all around.

**"You will call me back, Gaea. Who will protect you if not me?"**

"Why, my murderous Titan children of course!" Percy declared in a girly voice. Annabeth elbowed him in the side. "Ow, what? It's true."

"Shush!"

**Naruto's eyes closed and he crossed his arms. With his eyes shut, an image that Naruto found enlightening and disturbing flash in front of him. It was a shadowed creature that had several sets of arms and had a tight grip on Gaea's arms, pushing her back. Naruto felt his teeth clench and his hands tighten on his arms.**

**"I will not lose you, Gaea. Family comes first, and while those things are not my family, you certainly are."**

Hestia sighed. "That's very sweet, yet disturbing."

"Welcome to the club, Aunt Hestia," Thalia said.

**Naruto's eyes opened and he sat up with a soft groan. He rubbed his head and recalled the dreams he'd just had. What did it mean? Something to do with Gaea, sure, but why did he see what happened to her kids?**

**"****_Have a nice nap?_****" Kurama asked with a snort. "****_Any interesting dreams? Any more visions of _****Madara****_?"_**

**"No, Kurama. You didn't see the dream I had?" Naruto asked with a frown.**

**Kurama growled lowly. "****_As with the last dream, no I have not seen it. As long as it does not contain any shinobi, I could care less._****"**

Piper frowned. "Wow, someone's tweaked."

"Majorly." Leo nodded. "He needs his ears scratched."

"It is belly rubs that sooths the savage beast," Frank said wisely.

Nico snorted. "You'd know, Mr. Fuzzy."

**"Wow, way to be a team player."**

**"****_Shut it, brat. _****I'm****_ helping _****you****_, the other meat bags on this boat are not my concern._****"**

**Naruto arched a brow. "Hostile, aren't you?"**

**Kurama snarled at him. "****_While _****you****_ were in la-la land, _****I****_ was stuck translating and running this meat sack you call a body. After about three hours, the sea urchin realized that I was the one pulling your strings. Isn't that right, you no good calamari?!_****"**

**"****_Piss off, Kurama_****!" Gyuki called distantly. **

Hades rubbed his temples and sighed. "It's like Zeus and Poseidon, but in monster form. It oddly fits them."

"Say that again." His brothers dared as they glared at him.

"Why? Hard of hearing already, old men?"

"Says the eldest one." Zeus grunted.

"I'm not the one graying." Hades smirked back, since his brothers did have tinges of gray in their hair.

It was a three-way glaring match until Hestia gave them a cough and a stern glance. They sat like good little gods after that, hands in their laps and halos above their heads.

Until Zeus glared at Apollo and the light illusions disappeared.

**Naruto snickered at the siblings' interaction and he looked at the door as Kirabi walked in, a small smirk on his face.**

**"Glad to see you're up, Mr. Nine. Those girls been worrying 'bout whether you fine," Kirabi said as he offered his fist in greeting. Naruto grinned at him and bumped knuckles before he got up and stretched.**

**"How'd you know they were worried?" Naruto asked the rapping shinobi with an arched brow.**

**"****_Like yourself, Naruto, B is very empathic. Most Jinchuriki tend to be able to sense and discern emotions, but not on the level you can._****" Gyuki explained through their mental link.**

**Kurama gave a distasteful snort. "****_Most likely due to his bitch of a mother._****"**

"Can you read that again, Aphrodite?" Artemis asked with faux innocence. "I didn't hear it clearly?"

Aphrodite glared at her before she continued to read the story with her perfect teeth gritted together in irritation at the very unflattering comment on her person.

She now understood why Apollo disliked the fox.

**"****_The goddess of love? ...Yes, that could make sense. I'm surprised you took notice of it, Kurama. Then again, you always were the most emotional of all of us._****" Gyuki added as an afterthought.**

**Kurama snarled. "****_Come in here and say that to my face, Gyuki! Then we'll see who is the most 'emotional'!_****"**

**"Let's all settle down," Naruto said with a chuckle. Last thing he needed was for the two strongest Biju to get into a fight with him and B stuck in the middle. Naruto looked at Kirabi. "So, where is everyone?"**

**"Puppet dude's checking the ship's engine **

"If he so much as touches my stuff I'm burning his puppets." Leo frowned and his arms firmly.

**while the hotheaded Iwa girl is training," Kirabi said with a grin. "Chōjurō's on the deck looking through some seals and I'm back down here to grab my own meal, whee~!" Kirabi scratched his tattooed cheek and chuckled awkwardly. "But, uh, with all the commotion from before, I remembered that I don't know where to get food anymore."**

**Naruto laughed while Gyuki groaned in their heads. Kurama released his own snort of amusement. Apparently he took solace that his brother suffered as he did. Naruto opened the door and led Kirabi to the dining room, where he found Percy, Annabeth, Jason, and Piper.**

**"Naruto!" Piper expressed her relief with a sigh as she got to her feet and gave her brother a hug. Naruto hugged her back and then poked her in the forehead with two fingers. He chuckled at her pout.**

"I just love the cute little sibling bonding you two share." Aphrodite smiled at the smiling Piper.

"He's a good big brother, its hard not to enjoy and envy these moments."

**"Hey, Imouto. Anna-baba," Naruto said with a nod to the daughter of Athena. He rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about passing out like that. Like I said, I was exhausted."**

**"****_Exhausted my tails. You were pulled into sleep._****" Kurama grumbled.**

**Gyuki sighed. "****_Must you always be snide to him?_****"**

**"****_Must you always be a dry rag?_****"**

**"****_Fuck you, Kurama._****"**

**"****_I'm not into tentacle porn, Sea Urchin._****"**

"Oh great, that joke is back." Percy muttered. He pouted at how it had to be explained to him from a red-faced, but very cute, Annabeth between chapters.

**Naruto and Kirabi burst into laughter while Gyuki roared in outrage at Kurama's retort. The demigods watched as the two shinobi tried to pull themselves together, both greatly amused by the Kyubi's comment.**

**Percy frowned and looked at Annabeth. "I don't get it. Did I miss something?"**

**"For once, Seaweed Brain, you're not alone in that." Annabeth returned, a frown on her face as her nephew and the shinobi she really didn't like chattered together in the language of the Elemental Nations. She really should've taken Japanese when it was offered at her school.**

"Please don't." Percy asked Annabeth with a groan. If she took _that_ in college, she was going to make him do it, too. He still had trouble with _English_!

Annabeth grinned at him. "No promises."

**"Want to let us in on the joke?" Jason asked the duo.**

**Naruto opened his mouth, but remembered who was in the room and quickly decided to say something else. "Our, uh, Biju are just talkative."**

**"Our Biju?" Percy repeated. He glanced at the tall muscled and shade wearing shinobi. "Right, he's like you...He's got the Hatchet in him."**

"Now talk about an iron gut, eh? Eh?" Ares grinned widely.

"Ares, shush." Aphrodite's order made the war god frown. Apollo and Hermes snickered, but not because of the joke.

**Annabeth rubbed her head with a sigh. "Hachibi, Percy. Hachibi. It means eight tailed."**

**"His name is Gyuki." Naruto clarified while Kirabi nodded.**

**"Stronger than I, he's my most powerful ally!" The Kumo nin crowed happily.**

**Gyuki groaned. "****_I take it all back, Kurama. You must kill me._****"**

**Kurama snorted. "****_And miss out on listening to you suffer? Hell no._****"**

"Yep." Hades nodded. "Like Zeus and Poseidon alright."

"Then which one are you?" Zeus asked snidely.

"I don't know, but since I am more mature, none most likely."

Poseidon barked a laugh. "Ha! More mature my a-"

"Ahem." Hestia cleared her throat to make her brothers quiet down. Honestly, this was becoming tedious. Her brothers were not used to being cooped up together for so long.

**_Guys, c'mon._**** Naruto pleaded. It was already difficult switching from two languages mid conversation, but he didn't want to add having three conversations at once.**

**"Right..." Jason said to Kirabi's rap. He looked at the skull pommel on the bandaged sword and then looked at Naruto. "So, what's with the bandaged weapon? Some kind of ninja tool?"**

**"That's Samehada, the Shark Skin sword," Naruto said nonchalantly. With its name said, the sword let out a hissing growl and shifted on Kirabi's back.**

**"...Uh..." Percy looked at Naruto. "Did it just move?"**

"I must make one!" Leo declared.

"Trust me, Leo, it's not worth it. Especially the backtalk, talk about a headache," Hephaestus said with a sigh.

**"Yeah, Samehada's alive." Naruto nodded. He looked at Kirabi. "Wanna show them?"**

**Kirabi shrugged as he reached up and grabbed the handle of the sword. "Ain't got nothin' better to do. Just make sure he doesn't try to make a meal out of you."**

**Kirabi pulled Samehada from his back and then spun the handle in his hand so that the bandages began to unravel. What was revealed to the four demigods made their jaws drop. **

"It's _so_ big!"

"Aphrodite!" Hera frowned at the tittering goddess and glared at the snickering gods.

**The sword was scaled from the hilt to the tip, but rather than a regular point at the top, a toothed mouth greeted them. Three scales in particular looked like fins, so that in hole, the sword looked like a scaled shark.**

**Kirabi grinned as the eight foot long blade jumped from his hand to the floor and slithered around at his feet. "Take a walk Samehada, stretch those legs, but remember you gonna go back into sealed mode again."**

**The sword shuddered and shrieked softly at Kirabi's words before it shuffled over to Naruto and began to sniff his leg. **

"Aw, like a soul devouring puppy." Ares cooed. "It's so adorable."

"That is just wrong." Hermes whispered to Apollo.

"I know... Do you think he can surf on it?"

Hermes just gave him a baffled look. "Seriously? That's what you're thinking about? ...Are you on the grass again?"

"It's a legitimate question!"

**Naruto arched a brow as some chakra was drawn from him and looked at Kirabi.**

**"Isn't he full from your chakra?" Naruto asked, not caring that visible blue energy was absorbed from his body into Samehada's mouth.**

**Kirabi chuckled. "Samehada likes to taste, even when he's not hungry. Should've seen it when it wanted a bite of Omoi, that was funny."**

**The demigods were not as amused, as when Samehada finished, it turned its attention on them. Samehada's tongue came out and swirled around the mouth, like it licked its lips.**

"Take a bite out of Jackson!" Ares demanded gleefully.

**"Holy Hephaestus!" Annabeth jumped from her seat with Percy and both stepped away as Samehada moved on from Naruto and shuffled towards them. There was a sniffing before Samehada whined and moved towards Piper and Jason. Another round of sniffing came.**

**"Naruto, get it away from us," Jason said as he fingered his sword.**

"Its just curious about its surroundings," Poseidon said. He liked the sword somewhat. It reminded him of a shark.

"Too curious in my opinion." Athena frowned at the sight of the monstrous 'blade'.

**Samehada shuddered and shrieked loudly before it turned back to Kirabi and Naruto. As it shuffled towards them, Percy frowned.**

**"Hey! What is that supposed to mean!?" he demanded. Percy lifted his arm and checked his scent. "I don't smell like processed meat!"**

"Oh gods." Annabeth palmed her face. "You can understand it."

Percy shrugged. "Go figure."

**"...Percy, you can understand it?" Annabeth asked. She gave Kirabi and Samehada a wary glance.**

**Percy looked at her, like he was about to say something, before he caught himself and blinked. "...Yeah? I guess so."**

**"Cool. What'd it say?" Naruto asked when Samehada released a heated hiss. He was curious what a sentient sword would be angry about.**

**Percy crossed his arms and glared at the sword. "Well, I'm sorry we don't have cat-tra or whatever the heck it's called. I think we all smell just fine!"**

"Percy smells like sea bass?" Nico asked.

"No." Percy told him.

Nico pointed to Jason. "Hm, I want to say wet dog, but I'm unsure."

"Dog?" Jason deadpanned as Nico moved on to Piper.

"If you so much as say-"

"Nah, I'd get in trouble for that one." Nico looked at Annabeth. "An owlery."

"…I'm going to suffocate you one day," Annabeth said casually.

Nico nodded mockingly and stopped.

**"Should've seen that coming." Naruto muttered.**

**Samehada shuffled and shrieked again. Percy's eye twitched.**

**"I'll show you a real swordsman," he said with a scowl as he drew Riptide. Samehada let out a low shriek and Percy's eyes narrowed in hate. Annabeth grabbed the son of Poseidon under arms and held him back while he tried to charge at the sword. "Let me go, Wise Girl! I'll cut that thing into fish sticks and serve it to the Giants!"**

"Now I really want one," Ares said with a grin. "If it can piss off Jackson, how can I not?"

**Naruto scratched his head and looked at Kirabi. "Any idea what he said?"**

**Kirabi shrugged while Gyuki sighed. "****_It called the boy's mother a cheap chakra-less sow that's only good for repopulating._****"**

"…I'll fucking smite it!" Poseidon snarled as he seethed.

Percy looked ready to go psycho, but Annabeth made sure to keep her boyfriend calm and remind him that it was just a story.

"Damn, mom shots." Apollo whistled as Hermes shook his head.

"Not cool. Never cool."

**Kurama burst into laughter while Naruto arched a brow. ****_He said all that in one shriek?_**

**"****_That was the _****gist****_ of what I understood. I could be paraphrasing._****" Gyuki rumbled. Kurama laughed harder while Naruto palmed his head. That figures.**

**"That wasn't nice, yo. Talkin' bad about some kid's Mom is a huge no-no." Kirabi grumbled with a small frown directed at his weapon. Samehada whimpered at him and Kirabi shook his head. "Like bro said to me: If ya can't play nice, you can't play at all. Next time we fight, I'll give ya a call."**

**Kirabi grabbed the bandages and started to restrict Samehada again while Percy glared at it. If looks could kill, Samehada would no longer be sentient and Naruto was pretty sure that Kirabi would be without a badass living sword.**

"I need some tartar sauce." Percy mumbled. "Shark is on the menu tonight."

**"I'm gonna get some grub, Mr. Nine. Maybe you should go check out what Chōjurō's doin' with his time," Kirabi said as he pointed a thumb at the fridge and kept the bound Samehada on his back. Annabeth started to pull Percy out of the room, all while the boy grumbled and glared at the sword, who shuffled as well as it could in its bindings.**

**"Sounds like a plan to me, B," Naruto said with a light grin while their Biju groaned.**

**Kurama snorted. "****_Great. Your container broke mine just as he was starting to become bearable. Way to go, Sushi Steak._****"**

**"****_It's not my fault Kirabi's a fool! From what I understand of his history, his father was similar. It's probably genetic._****" Gyuki quickly rebuffed.**

**"****_Uh-huh. Sure. You have fun with that fantasy._****" Kurama retorted.**

**_Play nice, guys._**** Naruto thought as he left the dining room and went topside to the deck. When he finished his trek up the stairs, Naruto saw Kurotsuchi as she went through a few kata near Festus' head while Chōjurō looked at a few sprawled out scrolls while seated behind the mast.**

**"Yo, Chōjurō," Naruto said with a grin as he approached the swordsman. The spectacled warrior looked up and smiled lightly at him.**

**"Naruto-sama." He greeted.**

**Naruto frowned. "Don't call me that. I don't like honorifics."**

**"You are the Hero of the Shinobi World, Naruto-sama. It would be rude of me to speak lowly of you," Chōjurō said firmly. **

"Why don't I get that?" Percy asked aloud.

"Because you're you, Percy. You hate that stuff." Thalia told him.

"I'd like it every once in a while." The son of Poseidon pouted.

Annabeth smiled at him. "It makes you more approachable."

"For girls?" Piper asked innocently.

The blonde girl glared at her. "That's not funny."

**"If one does not show respect to others, how can one expect to be respected in return?"**

**"By pulling the stick out of your ass and hitting others with it?" Kurotsuchi asked from where she performed a high roundhouse kick.**

"Man, it stinks that she's not wearing shorts." Leo complained. Piper gave him a look and he shrugged. "What? I can window shop."

"Absolutely." Aphrodite nodded in agreement. Always added to the drama.

**Chōjurō rolled his eyes while Naruto tilted his head in thought. Both had points that he could understand, but if he chose a side now, he'd be drawn into an argument that wouldn't get him anywhere. Instead, Naruto just shrugged and fell into a cross-legged seat with an easy-going grin aimed at the Kirigakure shinobi.**

**"Well, if you're going to be that way, fine. So, you said something about a translation seal?" Naruto asked as he peered at the scrolls. He hummed and tilted his head. "That's an interesting translation formula, though wrong."**

Athena smiled. She enjoyed scenes where Naruto showed his intelligence. It really reflected how much of her wisdom he'd inherited.

**Chōjurō blinked. "Wrong? This was made by some of Kirigakure's best seal craftsmen."**

**"Yeah, but this is translating what the ears hear. The ears don't process sounds, the brain does." Naruto explained. He spun the scroll around and picked it up. "And there's nothing about visual translation, either."**

**"We were going to use a separate seal." Chōjurō gestured to one at his side. He scratched his head. "And then once we perfected them, get them into one."**

**Naruto sighed and shook his head. "Man, why is it everyone thinks seals are that simple? Ero-sennin wasn't surprised when he learned I hadn't had any training in it, but when I thought it'd be easy..." Naruto shuddered. Those first few storage seals were murder...all the explosions. He had to wear a hat a lot to cover some bald spots.**

"My poor baby!"

"Aphrodite, do we need another reader?" Demeter asked with a stern frown.

"No." Aphrodite pouted. She silently lamented over the fact that no one understands her or her children's troubles as she continued to read.

**Kurama laughed. "****_I almost forgot about that! Ah, you looked ridiculous!_****"**

**_Shut up, Fuzzball! I still became a better seal master than Ero-Sennin!_**** Naruto thought with a scowl as he looked over the visual seal. "Again, this uses what the eye perceives as the focus, not what the brain registers. Our best bet would be to start with a combination of the two into a universal translation seal and then work on minimizing it."**

**Chōjurō frowned. "But wouldn't we need to know other languages for that?"**

**Naruto sighed. "The goal isn't to learn other languages, it's to understand them. Thankfully, I know the two languages we want to deal with. We can start there and, if need be, work our way to other languages later down the line."**

**Naruto sat back and set the scroll down. He summoned a clone and sent it to his room to get his things. The clone returned quickly and it, along with other clones Naruto summoned, began to search through Kirigakure's notes and seals for inspiration.**

"Now that's what I call a think tank," Annabeth said as she pouted. she'd love to work with herself like that.

Percy had a similar thought, though he'd work with the Annabeth clones in another way.

**Fifteen minutes in, Kurotsuchi had stopped training and watched the many clones work on one seal. She looked at Chōjurō, who was just as flabbergasted, and arched a brow. "This is why our countries destroyed Uzuoshigakure no Sato."**

"Attack and destroy the intelligent ones, of course!" Athena bit back a snarl. Masters of such an art, destroyed out of petty fear? Honestly, it was like her father freaking out if he left his lightning bolt in the latrine, which happened far more often than one would expect in recent years.

**"It's like they're just writing a report..." Chōjurō muttered. He could see why the Uzumaki Clan as individuals and as a whole were feared. If Naruto was capable of getting further than his village's experts were within an hour, which he ****_was_****, then imagining a clan – no, a ****_Village_**** with the innate ability in the art of Fuinjutsu was absolutely terrifying. No wonder it took three of the five Great Hidden Villages to destroy the Uzumaki's home, the casualties on the three villages side had to be enormous.**

"Now that sounds like a great story." Ares grinned. "I say we hear more about the messy slaughter! Who's with me?"

"Pass." The Olympians denied.

"You guys never let me have any fun anymore!"

**"And Konohagakure was the smartest of them all," Kankuro muttered as he joined the two. His war paint was washed from his face, revealing quite similar handsome features his father and brother were known for, and a light frown crossed his face. He fingered his sealed puppet containing scrolls. He looked at the complex formulas the many whiskered blonds were developing and sighed. "The Sunagakure sealing knowledge is nowhere on this level. Konoha is the go to place for seals because of their vast records given by their allies."**

**"Uzumaki seals are no joke. Meet one on the battle field and you're smoked!" Kirabi nodded from where he stood. "The cloud's forces were dwindled by the Habanero's traps, and they always were moved before we could put them on maps!"**

Athena glared at Aphrodite. She managed to get the information the wisdom goddess wanted to know covering these seals. First the foolish Apollo, which Athena could live with as he was a god of intellect, but the one-track dramatic Aphrodite having such knowledge? It wasn't fair!

Aphrodite gave Athena a smile of victory when she noticed the glare and it made Athena's glare intensify as she silently fumed even more.

**"Hey, you guys mind?!" One clone glared at the four from where he was hunched over a scroll close to them. "This stuff is tricky and one slip up co-!"**

**The clone was forcibly dispelled as a drip from his brush onto the formula he had started caused him to explode. The rest of the blonds shivered as the memory came to them. **

"And having them used to test something dangerous?" Annabeth complained. That was ingenious! She needed it, needed clones, but where? How?

Annabeth turned to Leo with an intense look in her eyes. "I need a cloning machine."

"It'll cost you a pretty penny, plus all of your cabin's pudding desserts. For a year."

"Deal," Annabeth said.

"Cha-ching!" Leo pumped his fist.

Percy was just as pleased by this deal as Annabeth was, but for very different reasons. All of those Wise Girls...

**The one they presumed to be the original stood up.**

**"Okay, anyone else notice the seal he was in the midst of adding?"**

**The clones nodded.**

**"Don't add that one."**

**The clones saluted. "Right, Boss!"**

**Kurotsuchi shook her head as the original sat back down and was lost in the sea of blonds. She looked at Kankuro and arched a brow. "So, what'd you figure out from the layout, Puppet Boy?"**

**"The engines are powered by some sort of chemical combination that I'm not familiar with yet." Kankuro frowned, a bit miffed that there were some ingredients he didn't recognize, which meant more work for him. "And their design...far more advanced than anything we have back in the Villages. Well, anything that's not classified."**

"Please!" Leo scoffed. "My stuff is _way_ better then whatever they got."

**Kirabi hummed and decided not to mention his brother's latest project since the discovery of more godlike entities.**

"Oh, what are they going to do? Shoot a magic cannon at us?" Ares snorted. He did sound amused by the idea.

**"And you?" Kurotsuchi looked at Chōjurō. "Figure out some of this 'Ancient Greek' stuff yet?"**

**Chōjurō crossed his arms. "I've found a few books in Naruto-sama's room, but nothing noteworthy. From what I can gather, they're mostly storybooks about myths or some sort. I mean, there was a picture of a three headed dog."**

"So, giant toads, energy monsters, and spitting fire is fine, but once a three headed dog comes into the picture it's all too much?" Hades rolled his eyes. "Mortals, Shinobi, they're all the same."

**"It could be a book on the Inuzuka," Kankuro said thoughtfully.**

**"I doubt it." Chōjurō muttered. He looked at the oddly silent Jinchuriki of the Hachibi. "What have you discovered, Kirabi-sama?"**

**"The kids on this ship have a lot of woe, it makes sense since they face a huge foe," Kirabi said smoothly. "Each has their own secrets that they hide, but none hold grudges or amnesty to our friend, Mr. Nine."**

"How does he do that?" Frank asked and scratched the back of his head at all the rhymes.

"Because he's awesome." Apollo beamed.

Artemis scowled as she recalled something the Hachibi had said earlier. If Apollo _did_ have a rapping son with powers akin to Naruto...

Her eye began to twitch. Violently.

**"We had to be sure," Kurotsuchi said with her arms crossed. "I'm not going to risk losing the hat because some brat wanted to off the Savior of the World."**

**Kankuro snorted. "Like that punk I knocked out. Pretty sure he was hostile."**

**"Guys, seriously?" A clone to their left whined. He gestured carefully at his work. "I'm trying to focus here!"**

**"Yeah!" the rest of the blonds chorused.**

"At least Percy can't multiply," Thalia said. "Now that would be horrifying."

"I know." Annabeth nodded. She could only handle one Seaweed Brain.

Piper's mouth twitched upwards. "Really, I'd thought having multiple Percy's would be just what you wanted, Annabeth."

The daughter of Athena flustered and glared at her friend. "I could say the same for you and your Superboy."

Piper shrugged. "I deny nothing."

Leo rubbed his hands together and grinned madly. "Oh yeah, I'm gonna be stupid rich."

"I'll patent it for fifty percent!" Hermes offered.

"Deals can come later. Aphrodite, read," Hephaestus said quickly before anyone else could try to infringe on his son's new business venture.

**Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes. "Deal with it, Uzumaki. We were sent here partially to be your bodyguards. Part of the job is hovering over you." The Narutos grimaced and got back to work while Kurotsuchi smirked. "I knew you'd see it our way."**

**"I pity the guy that marries you," Kankuro said under his breath.**

**"Like you're going to be a better husband to your wife." Kurotsuchi huffed.**

**Chōjurō sighed in dismay while Kirabi snickered at their banter.**

**Two hours passed before Naruto declared that he was finished. He applied the first seal to Kirabi, to see if it messed with his Iron Armor Seal. Then he called the demigods out to see if it worked.**

**"So what exactly is a seal supposed to do?" Leo asked as he munched on a breakfast bar.**

**"Anything you design it to do." Naruto returned as he double checked Kirabi's seal and the seal he placed.**

**"...So, basically it's a computer?"**

Athena hummed. "A well deductive analogy, Leo Valdez."

Leo shrugged. "I'm savvy like that."

**"No. It's Fuinjutsu, not technology."**

**"But they do the same thing."**

**"Leo, please don't start an argument just because you're bored." Piper sighed. She'd seen it happen when they were at the Wilderness School. Leo just grinned as he took another bite.**

**"Whatever, Beauty Queen."**

**Kirabi looked at Naruto as the blond backed away and clapped his hands into the Ram hand seal. "Alright, let's see if it works. Ready, Octopops?"**

**Kirabi let a grin cross his face and held a thumb up.**

**Naruto grinned back as his chakra flared. "Fuin!"**

**Kirabi grunted as he felt Naruto's chakra invade his system. A minute passed and Kirabi grinned again. "Not even a single squeak, nice job with the ink!"**

**"...Does he always speak in rhyme?" Hazel asked at the odd method of speech.**

**"Rhyme?! Little girl, that wasn't a rhyme! The Killer B's Raps happen all the time!" Kirabi frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.**

Leo shook his head. "Way to go with cultural relations Hazel. First word contract and you already got him upset!"

"It was just a question!" Hazel said with flushed cheeks.

**"I like him." Leo grinned.**

**Kirabi grinned back at him while Naruto looked at the rest of the shinobi. "Okay, who's next?"**

**Within the next twenty minutes, Naruto had applied the translation seal to the rest of the shinobi. Conversations ensued, and Naruto watched the interactions between cultures with a smile on his face. He laughed as he shamelessly eavesdropped on the group.**

"Oh, wonderful. He's just like his mother." Artemis palmed her face as Aphrodite tittered like she would over her dirty novels.

"He's a ninja, spying is a necessity," Apollo said with a shrug.

"You're nearly as bad as she is!"

**"Your hair is naturally blue, huh?" Percy asked Chōjurō, who was talking about his sword with a very impressed Annabeth.**

**The swordsman looked at him and slowly nodded. "Yes. Why do you keep going back to that question?"**

**"No reason..."**

Annabeth groaned while Percy sheepishly shrugged. He couldn't help it. Blue is the best.

**Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You're not allowed to dye your hair, Percy."**

**"But Annabeth!"**

**"No."**

**Chōjurō frowned as Percy sulked mildly. "Is he okay?"**

**Annabeth waved Percy's depression off. "He'll be fine. So, how exactly was the Hiramekarei forged again?"**

**Piper and Jason listened to Kirabi as he described the Lightning Armor technique to Jason. "The power of the sky covers your body, making it nearly impossible for anyone to stop you, even me!"**

**"...But how does he cover himself in lightning?" Jason asked.**

"Duh!" Apollo said. "Just look up Surge from the X-Men. Honestly, why you kids don't use comics more often to help you with your powers just escapes me! Imagination people!"

"Hey Apollo, step down from the soapbox, would ya?" Hermes asked dryly.

Apollo looked down at the box he stood on before he sat back down. "Huh, how'd that get there?"

**Kirabi shrugged. "Dunno, man. Never gave it a try. Last time I did, bro made me cry."**

**"...You use puppets?" Frank asked Kankuro.**

**Kankuro sighed. "For the hundredth time, ****_yes_****. I use puppets. I'm the only active expert on puppeteer warfare in Sunagakure no Sato. Puppets can not only be entertaining or distracting, but deadly when the right poison or tools are applied to them."**

**Frank stared at him. "...But why puppets?!"**

**"Why do you insist on using a bow?" Kankuro asked in return. **

Ares nodded. "Use a blade, kid."

"Bows are better." Apollo whispered to Frank, who nodded in agreement.

**He looked at Hazel. "And this guy's your boyfriend? Seriously?"**

**Hazel flushed and frowned all at once. "What is that supposed to mean?"**

**"Nothing. He just gets really focused on one thing far too easily." Kankuro shook his head. "Kids today, I swear..."**

**"You're not that older than me!" Frank returned with a frown.**

**"I've been a part of an invasion on another country, threatened from age three to fourteen with death, and fought against immortal undead shinobi in the last war, including my own father. ...Well, I never fought him directly, but I was there in spirit when my brother and sister did..." Kankuro mumbled. He shook his head and glared at the young archer. "Who are you to judge me, furry boy!?"**

"Shots fired!"

"Leo!" Frank's face burned as he glared at the impish look on the Latino's face.

"What? I didn't start that rumor."

"…What rumor?" Frank looked horrified, even more so at Leo's growing grin. "Dear gods…"

"Yes?" the gods asked him, but Frank gave no answer.

**"...Wait, what's a furry?" Hazel asked.**

Everyone, even Hades and Nico (though Frank was paling rapidly), broke into laughter.

Hazel frowned and looked at her boyfriend. "Seriously, what is a furry?"

Frank choked on his own spit.

**Frank flushed brightly as Kankuro stared at her and then looked back at Frank. "...Okay, starting to see why you two are together now."**

**Leo and Kurotsuchi, however, probably stole the show.**

**"So...****_You're_**** hot and ****_I'm_**** hot..." Leo waggled his brows at the Iwa kunoichi.**

Piper groaned. "You're going to get your butt kicked, again."

"No way, that's my best line!" Leo argued.

"I reiterate. Butt. Kicked."

**Kurotsuchi glared at him as hard as she could with her pink irises. "Shrimp, you've got three seconds to find a new place to stand, or I'm going to melt you."**

**"You've already melted my heart."**

Apollo flashed Leo a grin and a pair of thumbs-up. "Nice one kid."

"Thanks!"

Artemis frowned. "Don't encourage this. Ever."

"Please, sis, you just don't understand." Apollo waved off her concern.

**"One..."**

**"So feisty~!" Leo grinned at her. "I like that."**

**"...Okay, new plan. I'm just going to throw you off the ship into the ocean." Kurotsuchi decided as she held her hands out to wrap around Leo's neck. "First, you've got to lose consciousness."**

**"Ocean?" Leo blinked and looked around Kurotsuchi to see two large pillars that reached from the ground to the top of the Argo II. "Hold that thought, Hot Stuff."**

**"Hot Stuff! You little-!" A few chakra strings held Kurotsuchi back from closing the distance between her and the Latino captain that rushed towards the controls.**

"Puppet dude saved your life, man," Jason said.

"I'll let him see Pinocchio later." Leo shrugged.

**"Brace for breaks! All hands hold fast!" Leo cried as he ran into his control room. Naruto and the other shinobi clung to the ship with chakra, but the demigods lost their balance and fell as Leo slammed on the breaks.**

**"Huh, seems like we've reached the Mary Sternum." Naruto noted.**

**Jason groaned. "Mare Nostrum."**

**"That's what I said."**

"I will take the next one," Hera said with a bright smile as the book was handed to her.

Zeus gained a look of concern. That smile meant nothing good.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**12: Rikudo Sennin Mōdo **

"Was that not the name of his "god" mode?" Hera asked after she read the chapter title.

Zeus frowned in displeasure. That sounded rather ominous.

**"They've been gone for too long," Naruto grumbled as he rested with his back against the mast. Miu looked at him from where she had perched on his shoulder and he gently stroked her beak, but the irritation was visible in his actions.**

**They had made it to the Mare Nostrum, but now they had to get permission to enter from the 'doorman'. **

"I believe he needs a bellhop uniform."

"Hera," Zeus warned his wife with a stern glare.

"For Halloween of course." Hera smiled breathlessly, though did she love the sound of her humorous save.

**The staple of Greek heroes himself, Hercules. Percy, for some reason, had no desire to meet him (something about a bad memory about a friend) and Annabeth was far more interested in discussing things with the shinobi. Leo was determined to get his fellow 'hottie' to like him. **

Piper deadpanned at Leo. "You are going to get dipped in lava."

"Meh, I can take the heat." Leo waved off her concern with a grin. "I'm too hot, even for lava."

Piper threw up her arms in defeat.

Jason leaned over to whisper in his girlfriend's ear. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll let him down gently."

"I'm pretty sure you mean dropkick him," Piper said dryly.

"Yep. That should get the cogs working up there."

**Frank and Hazel were willing to go, but Annabeth thought that would be a bad idea, considering they were both Roman and Hercules was originally Greek.**

**In the end, the Seven decided that Jason, being a fellow son of Zeus/Jupiter, and Piper, a Charmspeaker, would be their best choice to go ask for permission.**

**That had been an hour ago.**

**Naruto was starting to get antsy.**

**"Relax, Mr. Nine. I'm sure they're fine!" Kirabi waved off Naruto's concern.**

**Naruto grit his teeth and stood up. "I got a bad feeling."**

**Without any set plan in mind, Naruto went to the edge of the Argo II and peered over it.****_ A good two hundred or so fall...no biggie._**

Frank rubbed his chin. "Do ninjas have insurance?"

"…Ninja insurance?" Jason asked. "What? For getting stabbed on the job?"

"Why not? I'd do it. ...Maybe we should get some while we're at it."

Reyna looked thoughtful. "Perhaps."

Hermes rubbed his hands together, he liked this idea. It sounded like a _brilliant_ business venture.

**"Naruto, what's your plan-oh." Kirabi's words died on his mouth as Naruto leapt over the edge. He snorted and rubbed his head. "Well, there he goes again. Mr. Nine is so reckless and brash, he's gonna be the cause of my sore ass."**

**Gyuki sighed in Kirabi's head. "****_B...You do know that was a double entendre, don't you?_****"**

**He got no response.**

**Naruto landed on the edge of the beach in a crouch. He stood up and looked around with a frown on his face. Jason and Piper weren't anywhere nearby, but they had been here, the ladder led to this beach and there were footsteps. He looked up at the massive pillars that sprouted from either side of the beach and rose to match the top of the Argo II's tallest mast.**

**"****_Well, I dunno. Is it compensation or...?_****" Kurama drawled.**

**Naruto snorted. "Probably."**

"Very much." Percy nodded.

"Well, I didn't put that up," Poseidon said and he glanced at Zeus.

"Oh, so it has to be me? It's in your domain," Zeus said scathingly.

"It's a combination of compensation." Hades concluded with a smirk.

"Hades!" Both brothers glared at the Lord of the Underworld.

**Naruto looked up as the Argo II slowly descended towards a clearing not too far from him. The landing gear popped out, an odd thing to see on a massive ship, and sank slightly into the ground as the ship settled.**

**"Naruto! What are you doing?" Annabeth called to him.**

**Naruto waved at her. "Just checking out the beach, Anna-baba! Don't worry about it!"**

**"We agreed to stay on the ship!"**

"In hindsight, that was boring," Percy said with a frown. "I still don't want to be near that guy."

"I know." Annabeth agreed with him while she patted his arm

"I mean, I'd rather be Ares' new best friend than be near him."

Ares snorted. "You ain't got the balls for that job, Jackson."

**"That would've been wise." Naruto tensed up as a massive source of anger appeared behind him. The blond turned and beheld a giant of a man, built like a powerhouse and dressed in a dark pair of swim trunks with sandals on his feet. He had dark brown hair and eyes a similar shade of grey that Annabeth and the rest of Cabin Six had. Only, the man's eyes lacked the same wise feel that his aunts and uncles seemed to have. A scraggily beard covered his powerful jaw, but beneath it, Naruto couldn't help but see resemblances to Jason.**

"It's evil Jason!" Leo gasped.

"Why would he be evil me?" Jason asked, well, other than being a jackass.

"He's got a beard. All bad guys have beards!"

Zeus, Poseidon, and Hephaestus glared at him.

"Well, uh, all comic book bad guys?"

Piper leaned towards him. "Nice save, Hot Stuff."

"Shut up, Beauty Queen."

**"Uh...hi?" Naruto greeted warily. Despite himself, Naruto took a cautious step back. "You're...Heracles, right?"**

**"Hercules." The god returned with a snort. "Ditched that Greek name as soon as the Romans gave me the new one. I'd like to be as distant from ****_Hera_**** as I can." He looked over at the blonde girl that watched from the deck of the Argo II. "I see you know the feeling."**

"Hey," Annabeth frowned. "What did I do?"

**"Nah, Annaba-Er, Annabeth is just watching out for me." Naruto shrugged.**

**Hercules snorted and crossed his massive arms. "Seems more like she's nagging to me."**

"You get used to it – Oof!" Percy winced and rubbed his arm after his glaring girlfriend punched it.

**"You don't know her. What gives you the right to judge her?" Naruto asked. This god was already on his list of least favorite people.**

**"I'm a god, ****_boy_****. The favored son of Zeus, reduced to a doorman, but I'm still a god." **

"Favored _demigod_ son." Apollo scoffed and interlaced his hands behind his head. "Everyone knows I'm the favorite."

"Say what?/Bullshit!" Hermes and Ares told him. Hephaestus didn't look like he cared at all. Dionysus was more interested in his drink.

Jason seemed a little offended, but tried not to show it.

"Uh, I drive the sun. You know, the sky? That shows über trust _and_ favor, right there. Your arguments are invalid." Apollo waved his hand at his brothers.

**Hercules rumbled. He glared at the son of Aphrodite. "Why have you come? I already sent your two friends on a quest."**

**Naruto blinked. "A quest? To do what, exactly?"**

**"Fetch me something, not that it matters to you." Hercules turned and waved Naruto off. "Begone, son of Aphrodite. Wait for the two other demigods to return in the safety of your toy boat."**

**"...How'd you know I was a son of Aphrodite?" Naruto asked with a frown.**

**Hercules snorted. "I'm the patron of heroes, ****_boy_****. You are a hero, yet you reek of cleanliness and your fingers lack any calluses."**

"Oh snap!" Leo gasped and snapped his fingers. "No, he di-nt!"

"I _told_ you it would come back to bite him." Athena gloated at Aphrodite, who huffed in return.

**Naruto scowled at the reminder. "...Not by choice."**

**"I'm sure," Hercules said, disbelief laden in his tone. "Run off, wait for your sister and my brother to return. The success of this little fetch quest will mean little to me, but it was either they get me something or I fight someone." Hercules shrugged nonchalantly. "I've got a lot of pent of anger against my ****_step-mother_**** to deal with."**

**Naruto frowned. "Then let's go, big guy. You and me."**

Hera looked at Jason. "What is the term for humiliation in combat Jason?"

"Owned, Lady Hera," Jason said after a moment of thought.

"Well, it seems The Brute shall get horrifically owned."

Apollo and Hermes snickered into their hands at Hera trying to sound hip.

**"You're an insolent brat, aren't you?" Hercules asked with a scowl. "You want to face off against me? I am the ****_strongest_**** son of Zeus. **

"Liar!" Apollo declared with a finger pointed at the screen. "Liar, lair, trunks on _sun_ fire!"

**His favorite son. He gave ****_me_**** immortality on my death. You believe you, a lowly half-blooded son of the goddess of love, can face off with ****_me_****?"**

"…Kick his fine ass for mommy, sweetie!" Aphrodite raged.

**"Yeah." Naruto nodded confidently. He looked up at Hercules and crossed his arms over his chest. "And if you lose, you help us fight Gaea ****_alongside_**** Hera."**

Hera paused after she read that line. She read the line again silently to herself and frowned. She was unsure of that.

Zeus, however, stroked his beard in thought. If he could get his wife to reconcile with his son...No, it would never work.

**"...Do you enjoy the fantasy that is your mind?" Hercules asked.**

**Naruto scowled at him. "What's your deal? Why can't you push aside your anger for Hera to do what needs to be done?"**

**"Hera drove me mad and in my madness I killed my wife and children! I was forced to atone for my sins, to cleanse myself of them with Twelve Labors – should've been ten, but I got duped into two more..." Hercules grumbled. Damn loopholes, this was why he hated the laws. "Not only am I tormented by the memories of my mortal life, but now I am subservient to the one that had caused me so much pain. Would you not hold a grudge yourself against the one who did so much to hurt you?"**

Ares cleared his throat. "That translates into; bitch, bitch, bitch."

His joke got a few snickers, but large scowls from his father, mother and aunts.

**"...If things hadn't played out the way they had for me, maybe I could've been like you." Naruto frowned. He held his hand over the seal on his stomach. "I-."**

**"I care not for your problems, ****_boy_****." Hercules interrupted rudely. **

"Naruto's speech got cut off?" Piper was wide-eyed.

"Oh man, Herc done fucked up." Leo winced.

Hestia glared at boy. "Leo Valdez, you watch your mouth!"

"Er, sorry, but it's true, ya know?"

**He crossed his arms over his chest. "Besides, as I've already told you, I sent your two friends along to do a small quest to gain passage." He smirked. "And once I have that horn, I can hold it over that fool's head for all eternity. I'll send it to Hebe to hang in my temple."**

**Naruto frowned. Not only did the jerk cut him off from trying to build a connection, but he was also using his sister to bully someone.**

**Yeah, fuck this guy.**

Hera happily repeated that line a few times, much to Zeus' ire.

**Uzumaki Naruto's friends and family were ****_not_**** tools to be used.**

**Especially if he had any say in it.**

**"Well, you better start caring once I beat you into the ground," Naruto said with a frown.**

**Hercules let his head roll back and a booming laugh escaped his mouth. "You are lively, boy. I'll give you that much. Tell you what. I'll indulge you, and if you stay conscious after ****_one_**** of my punches, I'll even go off and whisk those other two demigods back, ****_and_**** give you safe passage through the Pillars."**

**Naruto nodded and closed his eyes as he felt Kurama take in Natural Energy. He wasn't stupid enough to leave his body completely defenseless after all. When the toad-like irises appeared, Hercules stared at them for a moment before he snorted.**

**"Interesting contacts, but they will do you little good." Hercules brought his fist back and grinned savagely. "Nice meeting you, boy."**

**The blow sent Naruto ****_flying_**** back a good couple dozen or so meters. Hercules had held back, finding that there was no need to actually kill the lad. Hebe and he were already distant enough, he didn't want Aphrodite meddling with that.**

Aphrodite scoffed and crossed her arms. "As if his ill-long distance relationship matters to me. There was no more drama in it, so I stopped caring."

**Naruto groaned and pulled himself out of the trench his body made. His eyes looked up and met with Hercules' shocked ones. A grin spread across Naruto's face. "I'm conscious..."**

"Wait for it," Apollo said with a frown.

**"...So it would seem. Alright boy, best me in a fight and I'll help you." Hercules smirked.**

**"You said I had to be conscious!" Naruto frowned.**

**"I never swore on the Styx. Why would I have to keep any other promise?" Hercules asked nonchalantly. **

"Called it," the sun god said. "Like that ass would follow any agreement if he wasn't forced to."

"Like father, like son." Poseidon mused.

Zeus grunted, even while he agreed his son didn't have to, he did make a small condition. Plus, the backup would have been nice. It would've been just like old times.

**He cracked his knuckles. "I'll be fair though. I swear on the Styx that if you manage to knock me out, you will have free entry into the homelands for the rest of your life."**

**The sky boomed and Naruto exhaled with a small frown on his face. "Fine-"**

**Naruto doubled over the massive fist that buried itself into his stomach. He was lifted off the ground slightly and a barrage of punches assaulted him, which kept him suspended in the air. Hercules grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and drove his head into Naruto's, the blow strong enough to send Naruto ten feet away.**

Ares bit the inside of his cheek, he wanted to applaud that series of strikes. But it was the Jerk, so he shouldn't. How annoying. Still...

"Kick him in the nards, Blondie!"

**Naruto pushed himself to his knees and shook his head to clear the fog that had been brought on by the head butt. That was just brutal, if not for his headband, Naruto was sure his skull would be mush. Naruto stumbled to his feet and barely managed to catch the right cross that would've knocked him out if it had connected. He still had to use the momentum to jump back, lest his arms suffer for it.**

**Hercules smirked cruelly at him.**

**_Looks like some evil version of Jason_****, Naruto noted. **

"Called it," Leo smirked.

Jason frowned. No he wasn't!

**He rose up and charged at the god with a fist brought back. Hercules took the punch to the face without a flinch, and Naruto's toad-like eyes widened in mild shock.**

**"Oh...shit."**

**Hercules' grin widened and he grabbed Naruto by the jaw. He lifted the mortal up over his head effortlessly. "I'm gonna plant me a dumbass tree!"**

Hades turned to Demeter. "Is that an actual thing?"

Demeter glared at him, "Of course not!"

"Oh." Hades frowned. If it was and it bore fruit, it would certainly explain a lot about his sister.

**Naruto squeezed his eyes shut as he was drilled into the dirt headfirst, a massive crater formed by his impact. That, unsurprisingly, hurt a lot more than when Sasuke drilled him into the ground back when they were twelve. A rough kick to the chest made Naruto skid inland through at least eight meters of stone before the son of Aphrodite flopped to his back, his head popped out of the ground it had been drilled into as a consequence.**

**Hercules stalked up to him with a smirk on his face. "This has been fun, but I said I was gonna plant a dumbass tree. Can't leave the seed uncovered."**

"I wonder what type of fertilizer he's using?" Ares rubbed his chin, he had to remember that line though. It was a keeper.

**Naruto could do little more than groan as he tried to get his bearings. He felt the ground protest as a chunk of rock the size of the Argo II was pulled up. **

"…So yeah, I totally forgot that being the god of strength was his thing." Leo admitted. He frowned. "Wouldn't that, like, collapse the beach?"

"The slab was from inland." Poseidon told the boy.

**Shadow eclipsed Naruto's face and he closed his eyes as the enormous boulder was raised above Hercules' head.**

**"Goodbye, Mortal. I'll give my condolences to Aphrodite when she next visits." **

"I don't visit him at all!" Aphrodite griped when Ares gave her a look. She glared back at him. "Oh, don't you start."

**Hercules smirked before he slammed the chunk of earth onto his mortal foe and buried him alive. Well, buried him would be a more accurate term. He turned towards the ship that dare land on his island and began to walk towards it. "Any other brave heroes wish to test their mettle against me?"**

"Come on, tag team the Jerk!" Ares whooped since Blondie failed like the dumbass tree he was.

"I'm with Ares on this one." Apollo agreed with a glint in his eye.

"Same."

Percy frowned. "Dad!"

"What? When it works, it works, Percy." Poseidon shrugged.

**The shinobi glared at him, but didn't move unlike the demigods who tensed and prepared to fight. Hercules smirked.**

**"I thought not," he said. He crossed his arms over his chest. "So, now that that's settled, now we wait for the other heroes to return and-"**

**The sound of rock cracking made Hercules turn. His eyes went wide in disbelief. "Impossible."**

"Do the impossible, see the invisible." Leo rapped.

"Row, row, fight the power!" Apollo chorused with multiple voices.

"Touch the untouchable, break the un-"

"Leo, shush." Hazel told him.

Leo stared at her in disbelief. "How could you just stop me in the middle of the best verse!?"

Hazel frowned at him. "That 'song' was getting kind of annoying."

Leo had nothing to say to that. Apollo, however...

"Blasphemy!"

**The ground where his mortal opponent was recently buried slowly started to rise. Hercules could only watch as the boy he defeated without a problem dug himself from his grave. Or rather, lifted the grave off of himself.**

**"...That is so messed up..." Frank mumbled from where he stood next to Kirabi. Hazel nodded from where she stood next to him.**

**The Kumo shinobi smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "Never place a bet against the container of Nine. You'll lose your money every time."**

**"Savior of the World, Wrecker of Your Shit...they sound about the same, right?" Kankuro asked Kurotsuchi, who swallowed visibly and nodded.**

"Wrecker of your shit, huh?" Percy hummed, his eyes colored with intrigue.

"Percy Jackson, you watch that mouth before I wash it out," Hestia said with a frown before she glared at her younger brother.

Poseidon tried to look as innocent as possible.

**"Iwa ****_really_**** needs to revisit a treaty with Konoha." Kurotsuchi muttered.**

**"So does Kiri...but Mizukage-sama cannot know about this." Chōjurō mumbled. "She'll never leave Naruto-sama alone if she finds out."**

**"Desperate, much?" Kankuro asked.**

**As Chōjurō watched Naruto get to his feet with the massive boulder held over his head, he slowly nodded. "You have no idea."**

"Cougar, rawr." Aphrodite purred playfully and clawed the air. Piper frowned at her.

"That's not funny mom."

"Oh dear, it always is. I'm called one all the time." The love goddess winked.

"You're more like cradle robber now." Artemis huffed. She looked at the rest of her cradle robbing family and sighed. They all were.

**"What...How...Why?" Hercules stared at the rising blond as he effortlessly held the boulder above his head with one hand. The minor god hadn't seen such a feat since...since he was a demigod. Naruto dropped the boulder to the side, undisturbed by the loud noise made from the action, and Hercules stared with wide eyes at the blond. "I have so many questions!"**

"As do I." Hermes cleared his throat before he opened a notepad and adjusted his glasses. "Ah, yes. Question number one: Why is there air?"

"To blow up balls with, duh." Apollo answered.

"Alright. Number two: If Train A is moving at eighty-seven miles per hour from San Francisco to Los Angles–?"

"Twenty-seven minutes and three point two seconds," Apollo said.

Hermes looked at him with a frown. "How did you...?"

"Prophet god."

**"You had your chance." Naruto frowned as he stalked forward and tore the remains of his back-up hoodie off, revealing his slightly torn camp T-shirt. Stupid rocks, ripping his gifts...at least he had one more. He was going to hold off on wearing that, though. He did ****_not_**** want his last jacket to get ruined. Naruto walked calmly towards the minor god with a frown on his face.**

**"That wasn't too bad for a warm up. Now I know I'm not strong enough to face you in Sennin Mōdo," Naruto said, as he pointed at his toad like eyes. A golden flame spread from his stomach to encase his body and within a second Naruto stood in his Nine-tailed chakra mode. "This is my next level of strength. More of a chakra boost than a physical one, so it won't really do me much good against you."**

"So he'll go a level higher." Reyna confirmed, eager to see what this God Mode could do

**"Tch, just get on with it, Naruto." Kurama's voice echoed as the fox's head formed in a flame that sprouted from Naruto's shoulder. He glared at the god. "I want to see this crybaby beg."**

**Hercules glared back at the demonic image. "So, the Heroes have turned to ally with monsters now?"**

"Look at Mister High and Mighty." Percy scoffed and crossed his arms. "I'm with the Fox, make him cry."

"I ...agree with Jackson." Ares nodded, but had a bitter look on his face. "Ugh, my mouth feels dirty saying that."

He manifested a brew of Olympian-class beer to wash it down.

Dionysus frowned jealously at him and fiddled with his diet coke can.

**That had the entire group of shinobi and demigods bristle. Kirabi's frown was most prominent of them all. He stepped forward with his arms crossed over his chest.**

**"Naruto." His voice was calm and carried far over the island. Naruto looked at his friend and fellow Jinchuriki as Kirabi held his thumb down. "Show this clown what you can do, know that Kumo stands behind you."**

**"As does Kirigakure," Chōjurō said with a scowl. He adjusted his glasses and frowned at the minor god. "Show him why shinobi are feared."**

**"Bury him in the dirt." Kurotsuchi nodded.**

Apollo shook his head. "We already saw that. Maybe some DBZ-like flying battle!"

"My son _losing_ in the air?" Zeus scoffed. He ignored the pointed scowl Aphrodite sent his way.

"Hey, it could happen." Apollo grinned wildly at his dad, which made the sky god frown.

**Kankuro grinned and leaned over the railing of the Argo II. "Kick his ass, Kid!"**

**Naruto grinned back at them and held his right hand out. In the middle of his palm where a black circle covered his seal, Kurama's chakra receded to reveal the small sun-like seal. "Hercules, this is the Yang seal of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Rikudo Sennin and the God of Shinobi."**

**Hercules scowled at him. "I don't recognize any "god" of yours, ****_boy_****. **

"And a slap to other religions and pantheons. Wow." Thalia shook her head, at least she had one good brother. Her mortal one, not the godly ones. Never the godly ones.

**Do whatever makes you feel better. Once you're finished, I'll crush you in my bare hands and then rip that hunk of bronze and wood in half."**

**"You should've just helped us. Nice meeting you, ****_Baka_****." Kurama cackled as his chakra receded into Naruto.**

**The blond shinobi said nothing while he bit into his index and middle fingers on his left hand. Naruto then brought his hands together into the Ram seal. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.**

**"****_Ninshū is the original gift of Hagoromo, before it was corrupted into Ninjutsu. Created to unite the shinobi world and the rest of humanity._****" Kurama muttered. He snarled in Naruto's head. "****_Show this 'god' what the Sage was capable of!_****"**

**_Gladly_****. Naruto opened his eyes and glared at the amused Hercules. "Fuin: Kai."**

**For a moment, there was nothing.**

**Then...it was as if the Universe stopped and focused on one thing.**

"What?" Zeus cracked, a massive frown on his face.

Hades leaned towards Poseidon, a hand over the side of his mouth. "I think he just realized that he's not the center of the universe."

"I agree." Poseidon whispered back. "To the bunkers?"

"I'll get the rations."

**Naruto felt the implosion of the Universe's energy. He failed to witness the giant dome of white light that expanded from him to cover the entire island. The demigods were forced to shield their eyes along with the shinobi while Kirabi had to squint behind his sunglasses. The force of the explosion made tidal waves expand out from the island and rocked the Argo where it was parked.**

The graphic comic turned into a video once more and Hera looked up from the book.

**Elsewhere, a wandering young man stopped and grabbed at his eye with his sole hand. Uchiha Sasuke dropped to a knee as the familiar power of the Rikudo's Yin chakra filled him. His shar-rinnengan eye turned from purple to blood red and he felt the Yang chakra grow. Recomposed, Sasuke rose to his feet and turned towards the origin of the Yang chakra. His eyes narrowed.**

**_What are you doing, Naruto?_**

"About to kick some godly butt is what he's gonna do." Percy grinned. "Come on awesome Ninja Dude, kick his as-butt for Zoë!"

Artemis smiled lightly while Thalia whistled in agreement.

**Hercules was torn between being infuriated and in awe. This power...it was not meant to be wielded by a child, a ****_demigod_****. It was a god's power that radiated off of the boy, that much was sure. No matter, Hercules would crush him all the same. Even Ares, the Olympian god of war, was no match for his limited demigod strength. This boy, a son of Aphrodite, would fall easily.**

Aphrodite's radiant smile became viciously cruel. "Oh, break his deluded mind of that, sweetie. Break it right in half."

Jason looked at Piper. "You're mom's scaring me."

"Kick his butt, Naruto!" Piper cheered before she turned to Jason. "What did you say?"

"Er, go Naruto?" Jason suddenly hoped Piper didn't have the same kind of streak in her.

**Hercules's thoughts then shifted to wonder how the hell the world turned upside down so fast and why his jaw hurt so much. He landed on the ground flat on his face, ten meters from where he once stood. He rose and glared at his opponent's allies as the strangely dressed woman laughed and pointed at him.**

**"Uzumaki slapped your shit!" Kurotsuchi managed to get out between her laughs while Kankuro snickered beside her.**

"Heph, record this!" Ares demanded.

"Now." Hera eagerly said, a wide smile on her face. The smith god shrugged, he was going to do that anyway, before he pressed a button on a remote that appeared next to him

"And as our hero radiated his golden light upon the fool meathead, he got pwned. Amen." Apollo bowed his head, grinning like it was Christmas already.

Zeus grunted and watched with distaste written on his features. This wasn't going to go away anytime soon, he could feel it.

**Hercules snarled and glared at the mortal that struck him.**

**Naruto glared back with orange eyes, the pupils a solid cross rather than the toad-fox slit combo when he was in Kurama and Sennin Mōdo. His hair was a glistening gold, and blew from an unseen wind. His camp shirt and jeans had been replaced by a solid black body suit, a singular golden ring that hovered over his navel. His sandals shone just as brightly as his hair, and a golden jacket forged from chakra alone covered his torso. There were also nine pitch-black spheres that hovered in a circle behind his back.**

Aphrodite wrinkled her nose. Yes, the glowing hair, shoes and jacket were fabulous and his orange eyes were delightful, but there was a _huge_ problem with this form for her.

"A onesie? Surely, he could have done better than that." The goddess mumbled with a frown.

"Maybe he doesn't have control over it, Mom." Piper suggested.

"I hope so...wait, then its not his clothing?" Aphrodite hummed and slowly smiled.

"…He really is a Super Saiyan." Percy breathed out in awe.

Annabeth breathed in deeply and rubbed her head. "Percy... just-just stop."

"But he's all gold!"

"Percy!"

"But-!"

"He does look rather... gallant in this form." Athena observed critically. She approved of the image. It truly made her lineage appear that much more impressive.

**The only thing that hadn't changed, oddly enough, was the boy's skin tone.**

**"You can't live with the pain of losing loved ones, I get that." The boy's voice travelled to him. Hercules glared indignantly at him and got to his feet to charge once again.**

**Naruto watched the god prepare a strike as though it happened in slow motion and easily intercepted the punch with his own hand. Unlike last time, the shinobi didn't get forced back. Hercules grit his teeth and his arm strained as he tried to force the boy back.**

"Put some elbow grease into it!" Ares chortled.

**"My best friend lost his entire family to his brother, who dutifully put a stop to his own family's revolt," Naruto said firmly. He tightened his grip around Hercules' fist and effortlessly shoved the minor god's hand to the side. Hercules could hardly follow the next blow to the face that knocked him off the ground and sent him back several feet.**

"Well...I'm impressed." Poseidon mused.

Zeus huffed in anger and disapproval. Hercules was the god of strength, this boy should not be able to best him.

**"Right now, my problem with you is that you choose, like my friend, to hang onto it as a reason, an excuse, to be a dick." Naruto lowered his hand and slowly walked forward. "I also have to thank you, because you're the first one to give me a real reason to test myself."**

**He didn't stop in his stride forward, and stopped another attack made by the Patron of Heroes. A backspin kick delivered to the stomach made Hercules tumble backwards and only stopped once he was a good thirty feet away. Naruto lowered his leg and continued his stride.**

"This is a little scary." Hazel admitted with a weary smile.

"I think this is awesome." Thalia said while grinning, she wondered what this power could really do.

**"Ever since my mother brought me to Camp Half-Blood, I've had to hold back considerably. I feel like I've entered a world made of cardboard. I have to take care not to break something – or worse, break some****_one_****." Naruto grimaced at the thought. **

"Yep. Naruto's Superman." Leo nodded before he looked at Jason. "Sorry dude, but he's got it all in spades."

"He _can't_ fly." Jason pointed out. Leo hummed and nodded in agreement.

"Tch, he's a Super Saiyan. Of course he can fly." Percy argued.

**"I can't allow myself to ever lose control or someone ****_would_**** die."**

**Hercules got to his feet and grabbed a fallen tree from the edge of the beach. He chucked it as hard as he could at the shinobi. Naruto held up his left hand and the black spheres moved to merge together and form a large circular disk. The tree made contact with the disk...and disintegrated immediately.**

**No light show.**

**No magic words.**

**Just 'touch'...and the tree was gone.**

"Did he just death hand something?" Thalia asked with a stunned look as others looked slack jawed.

"...Well, I am looking for interns and Apollo's spawn was so useful..."

"No!" Aphrodite and Athena snapped quickly as they glared at Hades.

**Hercules stared at the black disk as it separated back into spheres and went to hover behind Naruto's back again.**

**"But you can take it, can't ya, big guy?" Naruto asked, not disturbed or broken from his train of thought at all. He continued to stalk towards the god as his hands clenched into fists. "What we have here is a ****_rare_**** opportunity for me to cut loose. Let me show you – and everyone watching." Naruto glanced up at the sky for a brief moment before his gaze met with the minor god's once more. "Just how powerful, I ****_really_**** am."**

**Hercules sneered at him. "I've bested Ares, the God of War! Held my own against Apollo and Poseidon simultaneously! You, a mere ****_mortal_**** son of Aphrodite, are no threat to m-!"**

"Well, there's his father's deluded mentality." Hera commented casually.

"What?" Zeus asked her while he pretended to be hard of hearing.

"Oh, nothing dear. Nothing at all."

Zeus scowled at Hera while she smirked and watched the fight he so greatly disliked.

**As he shot through the brush towards the lake of Achelous, Hercules had to wonder just when the boy closed the distance between them.**

**That, and the pain he felt in his left cheek was ****_enormous_****.**

**"Boo." Hercules looked ahead of him and found a golden sandal rapidly approaching his face. Grey eyes barely managed to close before the foot impacted and shattered his immortal nose as well as send the god of bravery and heroism back to the beach. Hercules made a trench ten miles off the beach before his momentum stopped.**

**Hercules fled the water before one of his least favored uncles tried to keep him submerged. **

Poseidon nodded. "I would just for the hell of it. There's no doubt in my mind that I'm watching this."

"Oh please. We _all_ are, even if our heads aren't on right at that moment." Apollo chuckled.

Artemis smirked. "For once, we agree, Apollo."

"Once? Ouch."

**He snapped his nose back into place and spat ichor to the side.**

**That fucking ****_hurt_****.**

**"I will have beg Aphrodite for forgiveness, but she will have to deal with the obliteration of one of her children!" Hercules roared as the golden haired shinobi reappeared in front of him. **

"Beg for what?" The love goddess sniffed, the handsome god was going to lose this one. Perhaps it will pop his swollen head.

**Hercules began to glow, and even from the distance he heard one of the other demigods warn the mortals to not look. **

"Such a cowardly cheater." Athena frowned as Zeus frowned at her. "Do not deny it. Only Ares would pull out such a tactic if he was losing like that."

"Hey! I only did it when I was leaving!" Ares argued with a sneer. Even he wasn't that much of a baby. Or a sore loser…really!

**Smart child, unlike the fool boy that dare embarrass him like this.**

**He was a son of Zeus, dammit!**

**He ****_was_**** the strongest!**

**"How strong are you now boy!?" Hercules, now in his godly form, asked. The smirk on his face died down as the boy faced him with his headband over his eyes. **

"Okay that's just clever." Annabeth complimented her alternate self's nephew with a smirk. "And with his ninja senses, it's probably like he isn't even blinded."

"Like a super-!"

"Percy, shut up. I mean it."

**The black spheres thinned as duplicates of the boy appeared beside him out of thin air. Nine exactly, enough to match the amount of spheres that floated behind the boy. The spheres had turned into a single staff that the original held in his hand.**

**"Hercules, after meeting you, I now know one thing." Naruto, the original, said. His covered eyes somehow managed to meet his immortal ones. "I'm officially going to be the strongest Hokage."**

**"...What in Hades are you-?" A sharp throbbing pain shot through Hercules' jaw as the boy managed to strike him hard enough with the staff to knock him into the air. A glance down and Hercules' eyes widened in horror as his mandible had gone the same way as the tree. **

"What's the matter Jerk? Ninja got your tongue?" Ares bellowed with laughter while he held his gut.

"He's going to have trouble smart mouthing us now," Hermes snickered.

"And sucking up to Pop." Apollo laughed.

Zeus scowled. "No mortal should be capable of this."

"Oh, wonderful idea! Let's make him immortal!" Aphrodite squealed. "Think of all the beautiful grandbabies I could have!"

"Mom!"

"No one likes a party pooper, Piper."

**He didn't even feel the healing yet.**

**"Ri."**

**_Wha?_**

**Three more of the clones struck him with their feet in the center of his godly sternum and on either side of his ribs. Hercules felt the blows heal, but knew it was the least of his problems. He rose into his father's domain, and for just a moment, he thought that he'd be safe.**

"But he was wrong." Percy grinned as Zeus glared at the boy. He would protect his children. It just depended on the situation they were in.

**"Ku."**

**So much for that. Hercules was sent back towards the island by a rough double-handed downward blow.**

**"Do."**

**Hercules was sent to the left by a dropkick. He was starting to get annoyed. How the ****_Hell_**** could they hit him hard enough to break the sound barrier while he was in his godly form!? Let alone while they had their eyes covered!**

"Because he's a ninja," Frank said.

Dionysus snorted. "No duh, Fred."

**"Senjutsu." **

"A remarkable skill this Senjutsu," Athena said thoughtfully.

**A voice said near him. Hercules opened his eyes to face the covered eyes of the demigod. Hercules gaped as he realized the blond was ****_flying_**** at the same speed he was. **

Percy grinned at Jason. "See? Super Saiyan."

"Shut up, Percy." Jason frowned.

"Yep, he's the ninja Superman." Leo nodded with final confirmation as he crossed his arms.

**The Naruto clone tapped the side of his head. "We can sense where you are and what you're thinking. It's easy, really. Oh, by the way." He spun and a golden sandal kicked Hercules in the gut.**

**"U!"**

**Hercules was sent down towards the ocean, the burn of re-entry on his back. His descent was halted by a sharp elbow check to the god's spine.**

**"ZU!"**

**Hercules found himself rising back to the clouds. And more importantly, his jaw had finally healed back. Realizing he needed some assistance in this fight, Hercules decided to do the one thing he knew how to do best. **

"Whine for father?" Artemis deadpanned.

"No thank you, Artemis." Zeus muttered, partially distracted by the sight. He was _very_ displeased with this turn out.

**"Fath-!"**

Apollo frowned at his twin. "Hey, foresight is my shtick! Keep with your berries!"

**"Oh no you don't!" A duplicate cried as it appeared above him. **

"And _denied_!" Leo laughed. "That what the dick gets for messing with my ride!"

**Two hands latched onto his freshly healed mouth and Hercules felt himself get spun in the air fast enough to make a cyclone before he was thrown away from the clouds. The faint boom made him realize he was going faster than five times the speed of sound.**

**"MA!"**

**A direct downward kick sent Hercules plummeting towards the beach he once relaxed on. Hercules wondered if this was something Hera had planned. **

"Oh I wish I did." Hera grinned widely.

"I do as well."

"Agreed."

"Silence." Zeus ordered his wife and brothers sternly.

**Perhaps it was a dream, or another bout of madness sent to bother him in return for annoying her precious champion.**

**"KI!"**

**About an inch away from the ground, Hercules felt that he was no longer alone. He turned his head around and immediately regretted doing so. The original Naruto had appeared above him in a burst of speed with his staff drawn over his shoulder.**

**A half-second before the minor god struck the ground, Naruto drove his staff into the back of Hercules' head. Hercules felt the back of his skull cave in and he was out like a light after that finishing blow. He would be haunted in his dreams by the last two words the son of Aphrodite shouted upon the collision of his strange staff on the god's head.**

**"NARUTO RENDAN (SIX PATHS NARUTO UZUMAKI BARRAGE)!"**

"And what a barrage it was." Hermes whistled in praise at the speeds Naruto performed. They were nearly as fast as he was.

The screen changed back into its graphic images and Hera picked up the book once more.

**"It was a shame about the beach," Kankuro said with an amused smirk. The beach that Hercules previously claimed as his own was now at least five leagues under the sea with the god in question. **

Poseidon huffed. "Wonderful, now I have a visitor."

"Think of it this way, at least now you can feed something to your sharks," Hades said with a smirk.

"No, he's laced with far too much ego."

**He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Naruto, who was still in Rikudo Sennin Mōdo. "So...This is what the Rikudo Sennin looked like, eh?"**

**Naruto looked at him and then at his hands. "Eh, the Old Sage was more wrinkly and had a big fat red eye in the center of his forehead." Naruto punched the air a few times, which unintentionally rocked the boat. "I don't have that. Sasuke has the eyes."**

**"...He's a Super Saiyan."**

"Called it!" The son of Poseidon grinned.

Annabeth palmed her face. "Ugh. This is not going to go away anytime soon."

**"Gods-Percy!" Annabeth rounded on the son of Poseidon. "Naruto is ****_not_**** a Super Saiyan."**

**Percy pointed at Naruto. "Glowing blonde hair, check. Flight, check. Beat down a ****_god_****. Check. And to top it all off, he has a freakin' Power Pole!" Percy crossed his arms and nodded firmly. "Naruto is a Super Saiyan."**

"…That's incredibly comparing." Hermes hummed in thought. "Naruto can even change into a giant form too."

"Super-!"

"Percy!" Annabeth warned her beau with a stern glare.

**"Actually, these are the Gudōdama (Truth-Seeking Balls)," **

"Ooh." Apollo rubbed his chin. "Truth seeking balls. Now there's an idea."

"No." Zeus told his harshly with a thunderous glower on his face. The boy was far too powerful for his liking.

**Naruto said as he held his hand out and one of the black orbs floated into it. He grinned as it shifted shapes to change into various weapons he had seen at camp. "They destroy any chakra laced attacks or items and, well, physical attacks without chakra don't end well for them either." He sighed. "Poor tree."**

**"...Damn, dude, you are like the definition of 'hax'." Leo muttered.**

"He's a walking Game Shark." Leo agreed with his other.

**Naruto tilted his head, his hair still in motion. "What's 'hax'?"**

**Leo's explanation was held off as Piper and Jason returned through the brush with a horn in the charmspeaker's hand. Jason stared in mild shock at the glowing blond while Piper openly gaped. Piper's mouth snapped shut as she looked around the area.**

**"Hey, Imouto!" Naruto greeted cheerfully, as if he hadn't just put the smack down on the most famous Greek demigod. He pointed at the horn in her hand. "What's that?"**

**"The cornucopia. Naruto, what did you do?" Piper asked with narrowed kaleidoscopic eyes, as she took in the surroundings and her brother's new appearance. **

Piper groaned and looked at Annabeth. "Is this what you always feel?"

"You have no idea." The blonde sighed.

Percy looked confused and turned to Jason. "What are they talking about?"

"You got me," Jason said with a shrug.

**After all the stuff Achelous put her through. She was tired and hungry, and frankly, she really didn't want to know why the beach was missing.**

**"Um..." Naruto hesitated for a moment before he started to float up. "I'm gonna go scout ahead and see if there's any other islands with jerks planted on the beaches! Later, Imouto!"**

**Piper watched in disbelief as Naruto shot off with a golden after-image while Jason blinked.**

**"...Did he just fly away?" Jason asked as a pout formed on his face. That was his thing.**

Jason crossed his arms, a frown on his face. Flying was his thing. Being Piper's Superman was his thing...Oh, great, now he's worried Naruto will go after Piper. Wonderful.

**"Yes. Yes he did." Piper groaned and climbed onto the Argo II. "Come on, Jason. We'll get details from Annabeth and the others. Let's go to Rome."**

"Be sure to get a souvenir!" Leo held up a plate. He shrugged when the other demigods looked at him. "What? We were trapped in an antique shop. It was shiny!"

Hera smiled as she closed the book. She was radiant with glee as she looked at her disgruntled husband. "I believe I know what story I favor thus far."

Zeus scowled at her. "Yes, yes, gloat and praise Aphrodite's son for defeating my own. Who shall read next?"

Apollo held up his hand eagerly. "Dibs!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Naruto_****, ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_****, or ****_Heroes of Olympus_****.**

**Reading: Fils de l'Amour: Mark of Athena**

**13: The Pirate's Life Ain't for Me**

* * *

Apollo, a pair of fine educated looking, reading glasses perched on his nose, cleared his throat.

"Must you?" Artemis asked with a sigh.

"Shush, Arte. I'm in my Professor mode, need to feel the mojo."

"Gag me." Athena muttered. Ares perked up at that 'suggestion', but a stern glare from his father kept him in check.

**Naruto coasted through the air with a relaxed smile plastered on his face. He really never got to enjoy flight the last time he was able to do so, what with the psychotic Rabbit Demon Lady trying to absorb all of humanity with her 'Tree of Doom'. **

"I say we check Demeter's green house, just in case." Hades suggested to Zeus. Demeter huffed in offense.

"Why, I would never!"

"It has been a while since I've insp-strolled through it." Zeus cleared his throat when Demeter glared at him.

"We'll make it a party." Hera tossed in quickly.

"Yes," Dionysus said under his breath. A smile appeared on his face.

Hermes leaned over and whispered. "I don't think you're invited."

Dionysus looked like a kicked puma and slumped in his throne.

**Now that he could take the time to enjoy it though, he regretted ever sealing it away.**

**_This is what it feels like to be free._**** Something in the back of his head whispered. ****_No responsibilities, no more fighting, just...free. No nagging from others, no more orders to be followed, and no more deaths. We could stop it all, and make a world where no one fights and dies for needless reasons._**

**"****_A world where no one fights or dies...that is my goal."_**

"D'aww, isn't he a stupid optimist?" Ares chuckled.

**The memory of Obito's warped plan, a product of having his broken heart manipulated by a heartless momma's boy that was known as Zetsu and a deranged old man named Madara, snapped Naruto from his daydreaming. Naruto came to a stop and floated in the air as more troubling thoughts came forward. It wasn't like him to think about being 'free'. **

"Free is good, free is life. Do not let the chains that bind you tighten!"

"When did you get all philosophical?" Athena asked Aphrodite.

"Because love is free, and so are my babies."

"Ah." The wisdom goddess sighed in disappointment. Just when she thought Airheadite had a conscious moment of intelligence, too. She should've known better.

**He liked having time to himself, yeah, but being a shinobi, having a sense of order and direction in his life, was something he enjoyed far more. He loved going on missions, he liked being useful, training to fight against opponents and, more importantly, helping others find peace with their life.**

**He sighed and rubbed his head. "Man, what am I doing out here?"**

**"****_Being an idiot?_****" Kurama suggested a bit too nonchalantly. Naruto glared down at his navel with mild annoyance before he shook his head and turned around. He didn't see the ship anywhere. Weird, he'd thought that they'd be back in the air in no time.**

**With a silent shrug, Naruto reached out and felt for the Argo's shinobi inhabitants. His eyes, previously closed, snapped open in surprise.**

**He couldn't feel the shinobi.**

**More importantly, he couldn't feel Gyuki.**

"Does that mean they're dead?" Frank asked cautiously, since the chakra stuff was important and all.

"Aw man, I liked those guys!" Leo complained. He hummed in thought and waved his hand. "Well, the chick really, but you know what I mean."

**"****_Naruto..._****" Kurama sounded just as uneasy as Naruto felt.**

**"I know." Naruto turned around tore through the air with a sonic boom not too far behind him. **

"He should be doing the pose." Percy muttered under his breath. Naruto really was some kind of Superman.

Jason crossed his arms and frowned slightly. Piper giggled and patted him on the arm.

**The air parted as a vapor cone formed in front of Naruto, and within seconds he was back over the Argo II, which for some reason was in the water.**

**Naruto frowned at the sight of a second ship alongside the Argo II. The other ship was just as large as the Argo II, but had black sails instead of white, and a tattered flag with a golden skull on it. There was something on the deck that made Naruto uneasy. He reached out with his connection to life that the Rikudo Senjutsu gave him–**

**"****_Naruto!_****" Kurama's warning came just a fraction of a second too late as a massive black ball with golden arcs of energy shot up towards them. It felt like a Bijudama, but something about it was off.**

**The most Naruto could do was bring the Gudōdama around and make a shield that ****_barely_**** held against the mysterious energy that was fired at him. The shield cracked as a second ball of the energy collided with the first and both expanded before they ruptured. The force of the attack made Naruto fall into the water. He emerged from the depths a second later, without Rikudo Senjutsu mode active due to the proximity he had with the others. If he tried to go all out so close to the Argo II, he could accidentally blow the ship up.**

"..Yeah, power down the Super Saiyan in front of my baby." Leo nodded, looking worried.

"But it already blew up." Reyna pointed out bluntly. Piper covered her eyes.

"You didn't…" She groaned. The Praetor turned to her.

"What did I do?" Reyna asked. Piper pointed at Leo, who had buried his face in his hands and let out choked sobs.

"Why must you reopen old wounds!?" the pyro cried out.

"Reyna, meet Prima Donna Leo. That's what you did." Piper informed the perplexed Praetor.

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay, it happens."

Leo continued to sniffle softly.

**Naruto doubted that his friends, aunt and sister would forgive him if he accidentally blew them up.**

"It does sort of stick to people." Annabeth agreed.

"Or how they stick to people once blown to pieces." Ares smiled.

"Stop thinking about it, Ares." Zeus warned.

"Man, you're really no fun now that you got old."

"What was that?"

"Apollo." Athena urged the sun god.

**_That was _****not****_ just chakra. _****Naruto thought with a groan as he climbed onto the moving ocean with the aid of water walking. ****_Any ideas?_**

**"****_I agree, that wasn't just chakra. Must've been partly made of that 'magic fog' stuff we keep hearing about._****" Kurama suggested as he gave his Jinchuriki some chakra to use. "****_It managed to duplicate the effects of a Senjutsu: Bijudama (Sage Art: Tailed-Beast Ball). I'm surprised it broke through your defense so readily._****"**

**Naruto frowned. He didn't like not knowing what this 'fog' stuff was, but it couldn't be helped. **

"It's a terrible feeling, not knowing something." Annabeth sighed, resting her head on Percy's shoulder.

"Well, that's what winging it is for." Percy grinned down at her.

Annabeth shifted amused eyes to Piper, "Yeah, a gut feeling."

That made Piper give a small giggle.

**He ran to the Argo II and jumped up to the deck. The sight he found was, for lack of a better term, infuriating.**

**Piper was gagged and bound at the foot of a half-dolphin man and next to her was a knocked out Jason that was covered in bruises. **

"Ow." Jason blinked, unsure if he felt pain for his other's bruises or his pride.

**The satyr Hedge was also unconscious, but he was bound far more heavily than the others. Leo, Frank and Hazel were also bound, but their mouths were free of gags. The shinobi were missing, but with a single second to reach out, Naruto found their chakra being used like they were in battle. He'd go help them in a moment. Percy and Annabeth were bound and glared at a golden masked man, who turned to face Naruto.**

**"Ah, and the God Slayer returns." **

"We don't like to hear that name," Athena said tersely. A round of agreements came from the other Olympians.

"Even if it did put Harry Cleese in his place." Hermes nodded.

**The hideous golden mask hid the man's face, but Naruto could imagine the sneer the man's mouth had formed. "I see your 'God Mode' failed to last against Mark Ten."**

**"Mark what?" Naruto asked. The man let out a dark chuckle, echoed by the chattering laughter of his dolphin-men crew.**

**"Mark Ten. Ten! Get your ass over here, boy!" The masked man barked.**

**There was a loud stomp that made Naruto turn to face a ****_very_**** tall man, easily seven feet tall and packed with muscle. The man had a black body suit underneath ****_awesome_**** orange armor. His hair was spiked like Naruto's own, but it was a shade of red that reminded him of his mother's hair. The massive man's eyes were red and a scowl was settled on his face.**

**"Blondie, that thing's a robot! It's got-!" Leo was cut off as one of the dolphin-men punched him hard in the back of the head to get him to go down. **

"Hey! I was trying to talk and give exposition!" Leo cried out. He pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Jerks!"

**Hazel and Frank started to open their own mouths, but when guns were pointed at their heads, they wisely became quiet.**

**Naruto tightened his hand into a fist and he glared at the masked man before he looked back at the giant. "So...Mark Ten?"**

**"Affirmative." Creepy, it even sounded like Naruto. Just...robotic.**

"Skynet man, Skynet! It's coming," Leo said with a wild look in his eyes.

"No more _Terminator_ marathons for you." Piper chided.

Leo whined. "Aw, but those movies rock!"

"And make you _extremely_ paranoid!"

"Girl, my paranoia is good!"

"Excuse me? I'd _like_ to listen to what happens next," Thalia said sternly.

**The Golden Mask Dude barked out another laugh. "Mark Ten, tell him your primary objective!"**

**"Primary Objective: Absorption and assimilation of the chakra that belongs to the Kyubi Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki." The robotic announcement sent a chill down Naruto's spine. "Secondary Objective: Eliminate/Kill/Exterminate, Exterminate, Exterminate! Naruto Uzumaki."**

"Forget Skynet, it's a Dalek! AHHHH!" Apollo screamed in terror and tossed the book up in the air.

"Was the woman voice needed?" Artemis asked sourly.

"Yes, it was." Apollo nodded as he caught the book.

"Really adds to the situation nicely." Hermes smiled in approval.

**"Yeah, no, that's not happening." Naruto scowled. He looked deep within himself and pulled on the chakra of Rikudo Senjutsu –**

**A powerful punch to the gut made Naruto double over and cough up a bit of blood. ****_What the hell was that!? That felt like Han's punch!_**

"Who's Han?" Piper asked.

Apollo frowned. "Doesn't say."

"That's lame."

"Agreed."

**"Your compliance is not required nor a factor. All interference to primary objective will be met with hostility." Mark Ten informed Naruto as he withdrew his fist from the blond's stomach. Naruto fell to a knee and cradled his gut as he tried to regain his air. That was just like Han's punch...and Naruto only survived that thanks to his Sealed Hatred Mode.**

**"****_Naruto, get some distance!_****" Kurama barked out. Naruto quickly used a seal-less Kawarimi with one of the dolphin-men right before Mark Ten could hit him with another punch. That poor dolphin man didn't have the same durability Naruto did and he was promptly turned into goo with the blow. Naruto knew that Leo would be groaning about the mess on his ship's deck after this was over and done with.**

**He overheard the Golden Masked Dude talk about selling his sister to someone named Sir-see.**

**Needless to say, Kurama had an easy time giving chakra to his now red-eyed Jinchuriki.**

"He done fucked up." Jason frowned, getting a frown from his girlfriend. "It needed to be said."

A bar of soap appeared in Jason's mouth, and the son of Jupiter gagged. Hestia turned to Hera and nodded at the queen, who huffed as she frowned at her champion.

"You watch your mouth, Jason Grace." The Queen warned.

Jason spat out the soap and gagged, a look of disgust on his face while the other demigods snickered or snorted.

**Naruto attempted to blindside the masked man with a flying kick aimed at his head that would've surely broken the mask – and knocked that head off of the guy's shoulders and ****_straight_**** into orbit – but his attack was thwarted by Mark Ten, who appeared between Naruto and his target. The golden cloaked Jinchuriki's leg was caught in Mark Ten's grasp. Naruto's eyes widened as his chakra cloak was sucked into Mark Ten's hand, like dust into a vacuum.**

**_Kurama! He's–!_**

**"****_I know!_****" Kurama snarled in return. "****_He's draining my chakra!_****"**

"So there are chakra vacuums?" Hephaestus hummed in thought. He was officially interested in this development.

"You don't even know how chakra works." Athena pointed out to him.

"Neither do you." That earned him a small scowl which just made Ares chuckle.

**"Resistance is futile." Mark Ten's monotonic voice droned. The hand tightened around Naruto's leg and just before either Biju or Shinobi could realize what was going to happen, the giant redheaded warrior whipped them at the other ship's mast. The golden pillar of a mast gave way to Naruto's body as he plowed through it and landed in a heap on the other deck.**

**"****_What the fuck was that?!_****" Kurama demanded.**

**Naruto shook his head and got back to his feet, his eyes locked on the approaching robot as he kept himself off of his nearly crushed ankle. Naruto felt the damaged area heal and clenched his hands into fists. "Dunno, let's ask him."**

**"All queries and complaints should be directed to Creator: Madara Uchiha." Mark Ten explained before he vanished in a blur of movement.**

**"...Oh, son of a-!" "****_GOD DAMN UCHIHA!_****" Both Naruto and Kurama voiced their displeasure, the latter far more upset than the former. **

"Wow, for a recently not dead guy, he works fast." Percy couldn't help but be in minor awe.

Frank, however, blanched. "Either he was already thinking it, or he's wicked smart. Scary smart even."

"Oh, great, just what we need. A smart enemy on top of the entire force of the planet trying to kill us," Annabeth said sourly.

**Naruto brought his hand up and caught Mark Ten's fist centimeters from his face. Naruto's mechanical opponent caught the counter punch that was aimed at its head and the two sets of red eyes locked. Two chakra arms sprouted from Naruto's shoulder and over his head a Rasengan began to form. Naruto forced his fist free from Mark Ten's hand and their hands interlocked. The two strained against each other, their strength matched up evenly.**

**Naruto, succumbing to exhaustion of using God Mode, Kurama Mode, and Senjutsu, began forming hand seals with his left hand and Mark Ten's interlocked hand. Mark Ten's eyes went to its hand, which allowed Naruto to smirk as he took a page from Obito's book – thanks to Kakashi for acting out the genjutsu fight the two students of Minato Namikaze had – and drove his left knee into Mark Ten's chin. Mark Ten's head craned upwards and Naruto followed through with the Rasengan driven directly into Mark Ten's face.**

"Impressive. Distraction through physical manipulation," Athena said with a nod.

Aphrodite tittered. "Oh, I'm sure he learned that from yours truly."

"Hardly, it was a talent Minato passed down to his students. It even says so."

"You wish."

"Ladies, come now." Hestia chided to the two goddesses. "There's no need to argue."

Athena and Aphrodite nodded in mild agreement, though they still sent small frowns to each other.

**The robotic man flew back from the attack and destroyed a good portion of the would be pirate's deck. There was an outraged cry, and Naruto turned to smirk at the Golden Masked Dude.**

**"So, got anything else Goldy?" he asked.**

**The man's shoulders trembled and a golden blade was pointed at Naruto. There had to be a scowl behind that mask. "For the record, ****_boy_****, my name is Chrysaor. Know it well, for it will be the last name you learn before you die! Mark Ten, obliterate him!"**

**"Primary objective: completed."**

"It's like a zombie, you got to double tap those things." Nico lectured.

"You watch way too many zombie movies." Hazel frowned.

"You can never watch too many zombie movies." Leo argued.

Nico smirked at his sister, who in turn rolled her eyes.

**Naruto turned and gaped at the sight of the robotic man getting back to his feet. He pointed at the robot angrily. "Are you freaking kidding me? I gave you a full powered Rasengan to the face!"**

**"****_Should've used a Bijudama! Atomize this bastard!_****" Kurama snarled.**

"Rip him apart molecule by molecule!" Ares cried out with glee.

**Mark Ten used his left hand to push the damaged portion of his head back in place with a sickening mechanical crunch. His human-like face was shredded on the right side, along with the red hair that covered that side's scalp. Now a silvery skull was revealed from the top of the mouth up.**

**"Target: Kyubi Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki. Primary objective: Assimilation, complete."**

**Naruto furrowed his brow. "What does 'assimilation' mean?"**

**"Query retort: Assimilation, to make part of, to absorb energy, culture, or information. Notification: With Primary objective completed, my secondary objective has been initiated." Mark Ten informed his mortal counterpart. He got back to his feet and grabbed his right hand in his left. The hand was jerked hard to the right one hundred and eighty degrees, a feat impossible for most humans, and a loud click was heard. The hand and the forearm armor were removed, revealing a mechanical opening like a...what were those things called?**

**"Chakra cannon, activated."**

"And now cannons?" Piper asked. This was one weird robot.

"He's like Android 16." Percy gasped as he snapped his fingers. Annabeth groaned into her hand.

"And now I gotta build one." Leo grinned, rubbing his chin.

**Right cannon, that's the word! ...Wait a second...**

**"Infusing Death Mist particles." **

"Outside of Tartarus?" Hades questioned.

"Well, I'm sure Tartarus gave them to this Madara somehow." Poseidon explained.

"Wonderful, a deadly poison out in the mortal world."

"Like Anthrax!" Apollo exclaimed.

"From what I hear, that was a _fun_ time." Thalia sighed. At least she missed most of it. It was still a major pain though.

**Mark Ten's lone human-like eye narrowed. "Firing: Hell Blitz Cannon."**

**Naruto's eyes went wide and he jumped up as a massive black orb with golden arcs of energy coming off of it shot from the machine's cannon. The entirety of the cabin on the pirate's trireme was destroyed by the attack.**

**"Gah, not the poop deck!" Chrysaor's voice was heard crying from the Argo's deck.**

"He said poop." Hermes snickered and looked at Poseidon. "Why is it called that?"

"Blame the French." Poseidon mumbled.

"Never!" Aphrodite protested.

**Ignoring the son of Medusa, Naruto landed back on the aft of the pirate ship with his eyes locked on the robot.**

**"****_Well, that explains where the Bijudama-like attacks came from. Naruto, obliterate this thing!_****" Kurama snarled. Naruto's eyes narrowed and he put his hands in front of him as both he and Kurama took in Natural Energy. A small black orb of energy started to form in front of his hands and a large fox head formed around Naruto's body. The fox's mouth opened as the orb became the size of a beach ball. The orb was swallowed into the fox mouth and pressed against Naruto's hands.**

**"Senjutsu: Cho Bijudama!" The black orb rapidly expanded to the size of a horse as it fired from Naruto's hands and out of the now open fox mouth.**

**"Firing: Hell Blitz Cannon." Mark Ten's monotone order hardly had the same effect as Naruto's cry.**

"And so they clash!" Apollo dramatically announced.

**The two black orbs collided and battled against one another as they rose up into the sky. The attacks were at least fifty miles above the ocean before they detonated and caused a shockwave that nearly flipped both the Argo II and Chrysaor's ship.**

"Man, ships just cannot get a break. Ever." Leo frowned while Hazel patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry, it's still intact…for now."

Leo gave her a dry look. "You're not helping."

"I know…"

**Naruto and Mark Ten continued to stare each other down despite the violent rocking of the ship. There was some ruckus back on the Argo II, something about Frank being turned into a dolphin, but Naruto didn't pay it any mind as he focused his attention on Mark Ten. Red slitted eyes met metallic red orbs and narrowed while Kurama growled from his place in Naruto's mindscape.**

**The machine replaced his hand and turned to look to the left. "Chrysaor, your assistance is no longer required by this unit. Good day."**

**The robot's feet ignited and it rocketed off to the sky.**

**"****_...Is...Is it running away?_****" Kurama asked in disbelief. Naruto just stared in disbelief and slowly nodded. The Biju snarled. "****_It ran away!? It took MY chakra and then ran away!? What the fuck!?_****"**

"Ha! Pansy ass robot, probably shaking in his aluminum undies!"

"No, I think it just had better things to do." Hephaestus told Ares.

"Yeah, run like a wimp!"

"Don't bother Hephaestus." Athena sighed. "He's just angry the fight was so short."

"Damn right I am!" the war god glowered.

**"Did he just run away!?" Chrysaor was just as displeased as Kurama if that shout was anything to go by, which reminded Naruto. He turned back to the Argo II and leapt from the pirate's ship to land behind the golden masked pirate in question. The rest of the demigods had gotten freed and Percy had his sword to Chrysaor's chest.**

**"Seems like you're the one outnumbered now, ****_brother_****." Percy taunted. He pressed his sword closer to Chrysaor, who backed up into Naruto. The pirate turned and wilted under Naruto's angry glare.**

**Naruto did ****_not_**** forget the plans Chrysaor had for his sister.**

"Give him a wedgie." Piper said with a gleam in her eye, getting some looks, "What? Who hasn't wanted to give a monster a wedgie?"

"Yeah, she's right." "Good point." "I would." The demigod all murmured in agreement. That did sound like fun.

**"Dammit, it wasn't supposed to go this way..." Chrysaor snarled as he turned back to Percy. He made a feint with his sword, but Percy deflected it and unmasked the pirate with his own blade. Chrysaor covered his face as Frank, who turned into a bear, rushed towards the pirate. Chrysaor was knocked into the edge of the Argo's railing. He toppled overboard, despite Naruto's halfhearted lunge for the pirate's leg.**

**"Well, there goes that beat down..." Naruto mumbled disappointedly before he made some clones to go search for the rest of the shinobi. He turned back to the group and went around the deck to help the Seven recover from the attack.**

**"I knew it...They called me crazy, but I knew Skynet was real! Next we'll have to worry about them developing a way to keep us in check. Wait...What if they already have?!" Leo grabbed Piper by the arms and gave her a grave stare. "Tell me we're not in the Matrix!"**

When eyes turned to Leo, he crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. "It's a legit question. You're all thinking it!"

"Truth." Apollo supplied nonchalantly before he turned the page.

**"Leo, you need some nectar. You were hit hard in the head."**

**"No, give me the blue pill first! I'm no one's puppet!"**

**Piper sent a look over to Naruto, who came up and punched Leo hard on the top of the head. While Leo groaned on the ground, Piper frowned at her older brother. "That wasn't necessary."**

**"No, but it got him to snap out of it, didn't it?" Naruto asked with a grin while he kept his chakra cloak active.**

**"...On second thought, get me a red pill...and an aspirin...ow," Leo said with a groan.**

"Aspirin doesn't do much for a blow to the head," Jason said. He had some experience to back his words up.

"I asked for the red pill, too." Leo muttered.

"There are no pills, there is no Matrix." Annabeth narrowed her eyes. She did not like Leo exclaiming such idiocy.

"That we know of!"

"It's just a movie." Zeus shot down, as if he would let that happen. Machines taking over, ha!

**Naruto smiled in amusement before his smile fell and his eyes darted to the right. Before the demigods could stop him, he was already running across the surface of the ocean towards where his clone had dispersed.**

**What he found when he arrived at the area made his eyes go wide. Trees larger than anything Naruto had seen outside of Konoha's aptly named Forest of Death had grown from the ocean and trapped Kirabi. The Jinchuriki of Gyuki the Hachibi had gritted teeth as he tried to pry himself from his wooden prison. **

"Of course the black guy's imprisoned. Story as old as time... Racists." Leo scoffed.

"But you're Latino." Frank pointed out while Hazel frowned in agreement.

"Minorities unite!"

**The other four members of Naruto's squad were panting.**

**"Naruto-sama, thank goodness you arrived. Sorry about dispelling your clone, but I could not let him realize we had support." Chōjurō expressed relief as he looked at the golden cloaked shinobi. His eyes went to his opponent and Naruto followed his gaze to a lone boy that seemed no older than Lacy.**

Ares pumped his fist. "Yes, child soldiers!"

"That's a terrible thing!" Hestia frowned deeply.

"Tell that to Third-World countries." Ares told his aunt with a shrug. Not his fault that kids were effective in combat. Why did most demigods barely reach adulthood? Because of monsters, not because of other humans.

**The boy's hair was strange, as the right side of his head was covered in unruly, pure white hair and separated perfectly in the middle from the left's straight, black hair. A solid white headband kept bangs out of eyes that were a dulled dark brown. The young boy was covered in brown plated armor that bore the clan symbol of the Senju.**

**The boy stared at Naruto and blinked. "H-Hashi-nii?"**

**"Don't be fooled!" Kurotsuchi's voice was low and harsh as she glared at the boy. "He's got Mokuton and he's crazy as all hell!"**

**"You guys need to rest and recover," Naruto said calmly as he walked by the three. He closed his eyes and let his chakra flow out of his body. The three shinobi winced slightly as the Jinchuriki's chakra covered them in a weak shroud. Naruto looked no worse for wear as he gave his chakra to them.**

**The boy frowned and tightened his grip on the sword that was in his hand. "Hashi-nii."**

**"I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto greeted with a nod. He looked at Kirabi and then at the boy. "Why have you attacked my friends?"**

**"Hashi-nii...I want Hashi-nii!"**

"And he's nuts, joy." Percy shook his head, just one thing after another with ninjas onboard.

**Naruto's eyes hardened as the boy's killing intent lashed out at him. It was nearly as potent and powerful as Zabuza's, which said a lot for the boy's strength. He was definitely a jonin in strength, but the question remained, who was this boy?**

**Kurama hummed in thought. "****_I believe the boy is the foolish wood user's sibling. He is from the era of endless war._****"**

"Ares, cover up!" Hera hissed while Ares crossed his legs.

"Whoops, sorry. Just that sentence uh, was reaction worthy."

"No, no it wasn't." Frank gagged with a green face.

"But Endless War! Era! I want to live there." Ares drifted off to a fantasy with a cruel grin on his face. It was his type of era.

**_What do y-?_**

**"Naruto!" Kankuro's cry snapped Naruto from his silent inquiry as he leapt away from the sword blade that would've bisected him at the shoulder. The boy's eyes had narrowed.**

**"Where's Hashi-nii!" Naruto dodged the sword attacks with ease. He'd give the kid this much, he had tenacity. Speed could use some work, though.**

**"I don't know who you're talking about," Naruto said as he pulled out a kunai and blocked the next strike. He gave the boy a smile. "Why don't we just calm down and talk about th-?"**

**"Mr. Nine, it's Sandaime's time!" Kirabi's warning confused even Naruto for a moment, but it became clear as the familiar crackle of a lightning fist flew through the place where Naruto's head had been.**

**A massive dark skinned man with muscles bulkier than Kirabi's stood next to the small boy. He wore the traditional white Kumogakure armor that revealed a scar on his right pectoral in the shape of a lightning bolt. A mane of platinum blond hair poured down from his head and a bushy beard of the same color covered his chin. Green eyes looked into slitted red with an excited gleam.**

"That dude is _huge_." Nico gaped.

"It's like a mountain of muscle…but mobile." Reyna added with wide eyes. "His speed is superb and he seems to have some affinity to lightning."

"Must be that lightning armor thing. He looks like that A guy." Thalia commented offhandedly.

**"Ho-ho, nice dodge, boy." The massive form of the Sandaime Raikage, A, chuckled while blue chakra crackled around him. "I did not believe Kirabi when he said there was someone who had outpaced me and my son's Raiton: Chakra Mōdo (Lightning Release Chakra Mode)."**

"Called it." The hunter smirked.

"His son? Ah, this is the Third Raikage," Apollo said once he read the footnote. "Says here that he and Naruto clashed during the Fourth War. The Third was forced to fight without any personality while he was brought back from the dead."

Hades simmered at the reminder.

"Well, if not for that beard and mane, I think he'd be a fine catch," Aphrodite said thoughtfully. Ares growled and Hephaestus sighed at her words.

**Naruto frowned and tilted his head in thought. "I thought it was called Lightning Armor?"**

**"Bah, my foolish brat renamed my technique." A scowled and crossed his arms. He grinned and held up his right hand. "Let us see if you can defeat me again, boy."**

**The Senju boy turned and glared at the Kage. "...I want Hashi-nii!"**

**"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You'll find the Kami no Shinobi in a bit, kid." A waved off the boy's comment. He grinned and straightened his right hand until it crackled with lightning chakra. "Just sit there and keep Kirabi in place."**

**"Not cool, you old fool!" Kirabi spat as his struggles renewed.**

"Some dad he is, restraining his son like that." Apollo said, casting an eye to Zeus.

Zeus raised a brow in challenge. "Trying to say something, Apollo?"

"No, not particularly…"

**Naruto put his kunai away and crossed his arms as he glared at the Kage. "I beat you before in Sennin Mōdo."**

**A grinned. "So I was told. You can outpace me, you know how to beat me, but you don't know a thing about the kid." He turned to the boy. "Do it now!"**

**"Hashi-nii!" The boy cried out as he stabbed his sword into the water's surface. There was nothing for a moment before Naruto felt a surge of chakra form beneath him.**

**"****_Move!_****" Kurama barked.**

**"I know!" Naruto shot back as he jumped up just as a massive hand the size of a human burst from the water. The greatest concern that Naruto felt towards it was the fact it was made of wood. Mokuton was something that was extremely effective against him.**

"Why is wood so effective?" Hades asked with honest confusion. It made no sense!

"Nature is very powerful." Demeter smiled.

Hades glowered at her. "Oh don't you start with that again!"

"Not now, please?" Hestia asked her squabbling siblings.

"Says here its because its some sort of special chakra type that cancels out the Biju's." Apollo added as he read another cliff note.

Hades scowled while Demeter sent him a haughty smirk.

**Well, it was effective against Naruto ****_unless_**** he used Rikudo Senjutsu Mōdo, but where was the fun in that?**

**What? He liked to hold back sometimes. Like against Hercules, he didn't use the Boil Release: Unmatched Strength. The technique was amazing and extremely fun to use if his knowledge on it – gained by his universal understanding of Chakra and Ninshū – was correct (which it was): when one used the technique against an opponent that was stronger than them, their strength multiplied to fifty times that. Theoretically, if someone were to use the technique against a bully who could bench weights of two hundred pounds, the user would then be able to bench weights of ten ****_thousand_**** pounds with ease.**

"...He really is a lot like Goku," Frank said softly.

"Not you, too!" Annabeth groaned while Percy smirked.

"And Superman."

Jason frowned when Piper added her comment.

**Hm, maybe Naruto should've used that and his Frog Kata taijutsu against Hercules...Nah, the Rikudo Uzumaki Naruto Rendan was ****_way_**** more satisfying.**

**Nothing beat a classic.**

"He has too many powers." Zeus frowned heavily. The boy could be a problem if left unchecked and possibly try to-

"Hm?" Aphrodite's questioning hum drew the king from his thoughts. "What was that Zeus? You were mumbling to yourself."

Poseidon and Hades smirked at their brother. They figured he must still be sore over Heracles' loss.

"Nothing," the sky lord grunted.

**_Back to the matter at hand,_**** Naruto thought as he landed atop the clenched wooden fist in a crouch. He back flipped off of his perch when a lightning coated hand stabbed at him.**

**"Jigokuzuki: Yonhon Nukite (Hell Stab: Piercing Four Fingers)!" A snarled as his attack missed. The wooden hand he struck shattered and collapsed into the ocean while A landed calmly opposite Naruto. He curled his pinky finger in and kept it in place with his thumb. "Humph, let's see how you do against Sanbon Nukite (Piercing Three Fingers)!"**

**"****_There's no time for this. Kirabi needs to be freed before Gyuki is too weakened to cover his chakra._****" Kurama mused to his container. He scowled. "****_Loathe as I am to admit it, you may need to call on that insufferable Tanuki's seals to stop this quickly._****"**

**_I can never enjoy a fight anymore._**

"A good fight you mean! This is, like, the fighting cock block chapter. Boo! Dislike! Thumbs down! Flame war!" Ares jeered until Aphrodite swatted his arm.

"Shush."

**Naruto whined back in annoyance, getting a snort from his tenant.**

**"****_Believe me, Naruto, I know. However, we need to find that damn robot thing before it returns our chakra to _****Madara****_._****"**

**_Right._**** Naruto narrowed his eyes at the blue lightning covered shroud that had covered the Third Raikage's right hand sharpened further. As the hand thrust towards him, Naruto called upon his Rikudo Senjutsu. His chakra cloak shortened into a simple jacket as his bodysuit turned black entirely and his skin lost the translucent glow it normally had. He kept his now orange eyes on the hand as it pressed into his chest and bluish-black markings appeared on the tip of the Raikage's middle finger.**

**"Fuin."**

**The moment the word left Naruto's lips, a trail of lines spread up from A's finger and covered his arm. The markings spread to cover A's body and the Raikage grit his teeth. His body froze and he was unable to move. The chakra expelled around his body cut out and he was kept in place by nothing more than will.**

"More seals," Annabeth said with a hint of jealousy.

Athena frowned slightly and glared at both Aphrodite and Apollo. Their others had the knowledge she so desperately wished to know. How was that fair at all?

**"Uzumaki..." He seethed lowly as the seals spread across his face. "You should all be dead...I made a pact to ensure it after you Uzumaki killed my predecessor!"**

**"I'm sorry that you lost your master–" Naruto was cut off as A raged.**

**"****_I_**** was going to kill him!"**

"The nerve of some dead people, huh?" Nico asked, clearly unsure how to feel about this.

"Why are they all so out of their heads?" Percy demanded, why were they so weird!

Jason inhaled through his nose, adjusting his glasses, "I'm just going to stop trying to figure some of these guys out."

"Best idea all day." Annabeth surmised.

**_...Okay, didn't see that coming._**** Naruto blinked in mild surprise. He sighed and frowned at the Raikage as he lifted his hand to rest on A's head. "I guess all I can say is I hope you find peace in the afterlife."**

**The black markings turned into golden chains and A slowly began to deteriorate as his chakra, the one thing allowing him to stay on the planet, was sealed away. Kurama growled in light irritation as not only did his container use his least favorite sibling's ability, but he used it in a manner that was similar to how his mother would often seal him.**

Aphrodite smirked. "I am kinky like that."

"Oh yeah." Ares, Apollo, Hermes, and even Zeus agreed.

"What?" Hera glared at her husband.

"Er, Apollo did it!"

"Hey!" The sun god frowned. He was not taking the rap for something while he was already punished.

**_Stupid sealing chains are bullshit._**** Kurama thought bitterly.**

"Humph, well you're a tacky fox." Aphrodite stuck her tongue out at the Biju.

**"Juinjutsu: Kongō Fūsa (Cursed Sealing Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains)."**

**Naruto stared impassively at the raging Raikage and waited until the deceased leader was completely gone, back to the Underworld, before he looked down at the boy with two-toned hair. Naruto descended from the air and the Gudōdama hovered listlessly around him before they formed a shakujō in his hand. Naruto looked at the weapon with mild distaste and forced it to take the shape of a simple Bo staff.**

**The shakujō was Madara's preferred form for the Gudōdama, and Naruto would not use the default shape.**

"Fear the godly pimp cane." Leo snickered.

"Didn't he and your sister go at it?"

Leo heated up and scowled at Nico's smirk for the reminder.

"Yeah, I thought so."

**Naruto's feet touched against water and he mildly felt annoyed that he had to rush this. The kid was strong – even if he was young, the boy with two-toned hair could still beat anyone on the Argo II easily. He had grown in the Warring Clans Era, died during it as well.**

**He had died young, full of both love and hatred.**

**Naruto gave the boy a sad smile as they connected through chakra, even if the boy wasn't aware of it. To die filled with so much anger and fear aimed at another – even if it ****_was_**** Madara – was no way to die. He was scared and wanted his older brother, Hashirama. It was his last wish before he died. He wanted to be comforted by Hashi, told that it was all going to be alright, told stories about their mother. He was the son of Senju Butsuma, younger brother to the prodigies Hashirama and Tobirama as well as older brother to the late Kawarama. He was Senju –**

**"Itama."**

"Wow," Piper said quietly. She blinked. "So he can just reach out with his chakra and connect to other ninja? It's amazing."

"And god-like. But kinder and a bit more genuine in its own way." Hestia said with a warming smile.

The rest of the Olympians were not as pleased with this development.

**The name made the young clan warrior stiffen and raise his sword slightly. Naruto looked at the staff in his hand and planted it firmly in the surface of the water before he released it and took a few steps away. The Gudōdama staff remained upright as Naruto walked towards the younger boy. The boy backed up with each step Naruto took, his sword raised firmly while his eyes widened in fear. Naruto stopped and looked down at himself in the reflection of the water. His otherworldly glow and eyes were imposing, especially to someone who'd died against a group of people with unique eyes. He pursed his lips and took a deep breath. The Gudōdama staff vanished as Naruto's Rikudo Senjutsu was released.**

**"What is he doing?!" Kurotsuchi asked heatedly as she glared at the back of Naruto's head. With gritted teeth, she prepared to move. "That idiot!"**

**"No, wait!" Kankuro used his chakra strings to keep Kurotsuchi in place while he watched Naruto with a small grin. "He didn't get the members of the Alliance to put their faith in him because he was the strongest..."**

"And just like that, you've lost me and my interest." Ares grunted, leaning back in his seat. This story got so _lame_.

**Chōjurō followed Kankuro's line of thought and smiled lightly as he sheathed his massive blade. He still remembered when Naruto rallied the Alliance against the Ten-Tailed Beast, Obito and Madara. Chōjurō remembered how all of Konoha had so effortlessly thrown their faith into him and the rest of the shinobi quickly followed suit. He remembered the feeling of hope – that he believed they could win against such impossible odds of a man that could ensnare the entire in an illusion – that swelled up inside him as Naruto denounced any 'false' reality Obito offered him.**

**Chōjurō remembered that he had decided that day, the day that marked the End of The Fourth Shinobi World War, on October Tenth – Naruto's seventeenth birthday – that he would never doubt any of Naruto's plans.**

**Naruto opened his eyes and smiled lightly at the young boy, Senju Itama. "There. Better, right?"**

**Itama's eyes lost their tears, but became very wary. Either the blond or the boy with two-toned hair could close the distance between them easily. His sword remained up, but Naruto gave it no second glance.**

"I want to call him insane, but he's done too much good to be called that." Reyna smiled a little.

"No, he's still insane." Percy protested before he agreed. "But yeah, he has done good. He is the hope of the Universe, after all."

"Oh, gods, Percy!" Annabeth groaned.

**"Sorry about scaring you like that, Itama. I was really in the zone, 'ttebayo." Naruto chuckled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head with one hand. "Just got through fighting a big robot thing that drained my chakra, made by that teme Madara."**

**"...M-M-Madara..." Itama's grip around his sword tightened and his eyes squeezed shut as a tremble went through his body.**

"Is he really that scary?" Jason asked. "I mean, just mention his name seems to set some of these guys off."

"Like Voldemort!" Leo cackled evilly.

**"He's not here," Naruto said quickly as he held his hands out. "Why don't we just sit down and talk about the First Hoka-Er, Hashirama?"**

**"Hashi...?" Itama looked at Naruto warily.**

**Naruto smiled widely and interlaced his hands behind his head. "Yeah, he seemed like a nice guy when we met, but we couldn't really talk much. The Nidaime – um, Tobirama seemed cool, too. A bit cold, though."**

**"T-T-Tobirama," Itama said as the sword lowered slightly. He furrowed his brows and a hand went to his head in pain. "Itai...H-Hashirama...T-Tobirama...Niisan...Itai..."**

**Taking a chance, Naruto moved cautiously to close the distance between them. He was almost an arm's length away when Itama lifted his blade back up and glared at Naruto through his cringe of pain.**

**"I...I want Hashi-niisan. I...I want Ha-To-Tobirama..." Itama's arms trembled as his eyes slowly squeezed shut and he cringed again. "Niisan...O-Otousan..."**

"Now this is just pointless torture of a young confused soul. How distasteful." Hades frowned at the mockery of his domain.

**"Relax, Itama, I don't want to hurt you," Naruto said softly. He gripped the katana firmly with his left hand, ignoring the blood he spilled as he carefully took the sword from Itama's hands. Itama didn't make it easy, but a surge of pain in his head allowed Naruto to throw the sword away.**

**"Itai! Itai!" Itama grabbed at his head, each hand taking a grip of the differently colored hair. "No! U-Uchiha! Otousan! Tobirama! Hashirama!"**

**"****_It seems that he's reliving his death._****" Kurama mused disinterestedly. There were only two demi-beings Kurama really cared about, and those were Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki and Naruto Uzumaki. Was it wrong that this boy died so young? Yes, Kurama was not a monster, he was a Biju. There was a difference. He just didn't care about humans, they were a horrible species and the so-called gods that ruled them were no better in his opinion.**

"Well, we love you, too." Poseidon dryly confirmed with an eye roll.

"I would _love_ to see him try to keep the world in Order." Zeus huffed with a frown.

"Right, Order." Hades scoffed at the King's words. He ignored Zeus' glare.

**_If you're not helping, then shut up_****. Naruto returned as he put his hands on Itama's shoulders. "Snap out of it, Itama! The wars are over! There's no Uchiha here!"**

**"Oh, but Naruto Uzumaki, how wrong you are."**

**The voice made Naruto freeze and turn around to face the owner. Kurama roared angrily and Naruto's eyes burned with hate as they locked on the translucent form in front of them. With a mane of black hair that traveled down to his legs, red eyes that held three comma within them. He was dressed in blue plated armor with a massive fan strapped to his back. He had a small and amused smile on his face.**

**"Madara."**

"Wow, say the name and he does appear!" Leo gaped while Apollo shut the book.

"Well, that was a creepy send off. Who's next?" He asked before he tossed the book at his twin, where it landed in her lap. Artemis sent a dry glare to her brother for not giving her a choice in the matter.

"Thank you, dear brother."

"You're welcome!" Apollo beamed, pointedly ignoring the sarcasm.


End file.
